Mankato, Minn. - The Mavericks will take to the road for the final weekend of the regular season as they travel to Marshall, Minn. to do battle with No. 1 Southwest Minnesota State Friday at 7 p.m., then travel to Sioux Falls, S.D. for a match against Augustana on Saturday at 3 p.m.
About the Opposition: The No. 22 Mavericks (17-9, 11-7 NSIC) will take to the road for the final weekend of the regular season as they travel to Marshall, Minn., to do battle with No. 1 Southwest Minnesota State (25-1, 17-1 NSIC) Friday evening. Minnesota State hosted Southwest Minnesota State on Sept. 15, but had its efforts come up short as they fell by a score of 3-0. Saturday, the Mavericks will travel to South Dakota to face the University of Sioux Falls (14-14, 5-13 NSIC), the Mavericks defeated the Cougars on Sept. 14 in Mankato by a score of 3-2.
Looking Back: Minnesota State played two matches this past weekend as it defeated Upper Iowa University 3-0 Thursday evening before taking to the road Saturday for a match against Winona State. The Mavericks fell to the Warriors by a score of 3-2, marking the first time MSU has lost a match that lasted five sets this season.
Sweep or be Swept: The Mavericks have swept their opponents six times this season, defeating Dominican (N.Y.), Truman State, Minot State, Bemidji State, Minnesota, Crookston, and Upper Iowa all in three sets. Minnesota State has been swept five times this season, as they suffered three-set losses to No. 1 Southwest Minnesota State, No. 5 Minnesota, Duluth, No. 2 Concordia-St. Paul, No. 16 Wayne State (Neb.) and Augustana.
In the Polls: Southwest Minnesota State is the No. 1 ranked team in the country for the fourth consecutive week with an overall record of 25-1, it is one of five institutions representing the NSIC in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top 25 poll. The Mustangs are joined by No. 2 Concordia-St. Paul, No. 5 Minnesota, Duluth, No. 16 Wayne State (Neb.), and No. 22 Minnesota State University.
Hendricksen’s Honors: Junior defensive specialist Briel Hendricksen was named the NSIC Defensive Player of the Week on Nov. 5 for her efforts against Upper Iowa University and Winona State, against the Peacocks she recorded 19 digs. Hendricksen tallied a career-high 23 digs against Winona State two days later, her combined 42 digs was a league high for the week.
Setting the Bar: Freshman setter Ellie Van De Steeg (Hutchinson, Minn.) continues to set the tone for the Mavericks, who are currently ranked fifth in the conference in assists per set, 39th in the nation in assists per set, and individually, Van De Steeg ranks fourth in the conference with 11.37 assists per set, and 10th in the nation in the same category, she has tallied 1,114 assists this season.
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 sits second on the school’s all-time kill list with 1,517 kills and eighth on the all-time digs list with 1,147 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.
Minnesota State All-Time Kill Leaders:
1. Jen Jacobs (2000-03) 1,555
2. Chelsea Fogarty (2009-Present) 1,517
3. Margaret McCue (1985-1988) 1,425
4. Amanda Beekman (2007-10) 1,417
5. Ashley Nachreiner (2005-08) 1,379
Big Block: The senior duo of Jill Storlie and Courteney Steinhauser have combined to record 233 total blocks this season, propelling the Mavericks to the seventh-best block per set average, with 2.59. Individually, Storlie ranks 27th in the nation in blocks per set averaging 1.20, and Steinhauser is ranked 31st in the same category and averages 1.17 blocks per set.
Individual Single-Season Records:
Games Played: 139, Leslie Pederson (1992)
Kills: 499, Kris Wolle (1999)
Attack%: .354, Kimber Kuhl (2009)
Service Aces: 78, Diana Franke (1990)
Digs: 480, Alli Rice (2009)
Solo Blocks: 68, Margaret McCue (1987)
Block Assists: 233, Sara Reul (1992)
Assists: 1,442, Britany Stamer (2009)
Season Long Standings: Minnesota State has been recognized in the AVCA Top 25 poll for the duration of the 2012 campaign, it debuted in the preseason poll at No. 23, and has been ranked as high as No. 10, but currently sits at No. 22.
AVCA Top 25 Division II Coaches Poll
Week (Date) Poll
Preseason Poll (8/14) 23
Week 1 (9/3) 23
Week 2 (9/10) 11
Week 3 (9/17) 12
Week 4 (9/24) 10
Week 5 (10/1) 10
Week 6 (10/8) 13
Week 7 (10/15) 13
Week 8 (10/22) 14
Week 9 (10/29) 20
Week 10 (11/5) 22
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