Mankato, Minn. - The Mavericks compete in the opening round of the NSIC/US Bank Volleyball Tournament hosted by top-seeded Concordia-St. Paul. Minnesota State will square off against second-seed Southwest Minnesota State, Friday at 2:30 p.m.
About the Opposition: The No. 24 Mavericks (18-10, 12-8 NSIC) will make the trip up Highway 169 for the second time this season, this time to do battle with T-2 Southwest Minnesota State (26-2, 18-2 NSIC) for the third time during the 2012 campaign. Minnesota State dropped the first two matches by scores of 3-0 Sept. 15 in Mankato and 3-1 in Marshall, Minn. this past weekend. Senior outside hitter Chelsea Fogarty led the Mavericks with 26 kills (3.71 per set), 11 digs, and four blocks. Senior middle blocker Courteney Steinhauser tallied 24 kills and has hit .302 against the Mustangs this season and has been able to record 10 total blocks in seven sets.
Looking Back: The Mavericks (18-10, 12-8 NSIC) finished the regular season against then ranked No. 1 Southwest Minnesota (26-2, 18-2 NSIC) and the University of Sioux Falls (14-16, 5-15 NSIC). Minnesota State split on the weekend, as they fell 3-1 to the Mustangs Friday, but bounced back with a 3-1 win over the Cougars Saturday. The Mavericks are 0-2 against the Mustangs the season, and 2-0 against the Cougars. With the 12-8 conference record, the Mavericks earned the seventh-seed in the NSIC/US Bank Tournament hosted by Concordia-St. Paul and will face second-seed Southwest Minnesota State for the third time of the season Friday at 2:30 p.m. in Gangelhoff Center in St. Paul, Minn.
Scouting the Mustangs: T-2 Southwest Minnesota State finished the 2012 regular season with a 26-2 record with its only two losses coming at the hands of No. 1 Concordia-St. Paul, earning the Mustangs a second-seed for the 2012 NSIC/US Bank Tournament. SMSU is coached by Terry Culhane who is in his ninth season at the helm of the Mustang volleyball program and currently boasts a 232-62 (.789) career record. The Mustangs are led by senior outside hitter Brooke Burmeister who has tallied a team-high 302 kills this season.
Fogarty’s Record Breaking Day: Senior outside hitter Chelsea Fogarty entered the final regular season game of the 2012 campaign 23 kills short of tying the school’s all-time kill record of 1,555 held by Jen Jacobs. Fogarty recorded a career-high 26 kills on 45 attempts while hitting .511 propelling the Mavericks to the 3-1 win over the Cougars and earning them a trip to the NSIC/US Bank Tournament as the seventh-seed, Fogarty currently has 1,558 kills during her four years at MSU.
Keeping Up With the Mavericks: Follow @MSUTClive on Twitter for updates from the NSIC/US Bank Tournament this Friday from Gangelhoff Center.
One For the Record Books: Senior outside hitter Chelsea Fogarty became the fourth player in Minnesota State University history to post 1,000 career kills and 1,000 career digs; she currently holds the all-time kill record with 1,157 and eighth on the all-time digs list with 1,159 digs. Fogarty joins Nichole Rose (2000-’03) who had 1,280 kills and 1,036 digs, Ashley Nachreiner (2005-’08) who finished her career with 1,379 kills and 1,036 digs, and Jen Jacobs (2000-’03) who holds Minnesota State’s all-time kill record with 1,555 kills and all-time digs with 1,623.
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