MANKATO, Minn. – Minnesota State volleyball (16-8, 8-8 NSIC) closes out its season with two matches against the Bemidji State Beavers (8-16, 3-13 NSIC) and the Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles (7-17, 4-12 NSIC). The Mavericks take on the Beavers at 6 p.m. on Friday, November 15. On Saturday, November 16, MSU plays UMC at 2:30 p.m.
 
About the Mavericks
After a three-game win streak, Minnesota State dropped both of its matches last weekend. The No. 2 Huskies swept the Mavericks, 3-0 on Friday. The team looked to be headed in the right direction in Saturday's match against Minnesota Duluth, jumping out to a 2-1 lead through three sets, but the Bulldogs came back and won the match in a five-set heartbreaker, 3-2.
 
In spite of the loss, MSU did some great things in the match against UMD. For starters, senior middle blocker Kiya Durant tallied 15 kills in the match to break her personal record and stuffed eight attacks at the net for a season-best eight blocks. Durant also surpassed 400 career blocks last weekend. Fellow senior Toryn Richards also set a new career-high against the Bulldogs with five total blocks.
 
Minnesota State thrives on defense. The team ranks in the top four in blocks (2.35) and digs (17.6) per set opponent hitting percentage (.177 %) and opponent blocks per set (1.67) in the NSIC.
 
Durant is one of the best middle blockers in the conference. She ranks ninth in total blocks with 90 and is eighth in solo blocks with 19. The Plymouth, Minn. native averages 1.03 blocks per set. Durant is also on pace to set a personal-best in kills this season, as she currently sits with 173 kills this season and has a .311 hit percentage which is good for the 12^th-best mark in the conference. Durant was named to the NSIC All-Conference Second Team for her performance this season.
 
Emily Kern is another great middle for the Mavericks. The Cleveland, Minn. native has 87 total blocks in 2024 and is tied with Durant for the eighth most solo blocks, also with 19. Like Durant, Kern is on pace to set a new career-high in kills in a season; she has 125 kills this year.
 
Richards is the team leader in kills with 244. She is a versatile piece on the Mavericks side of the net, as she is also second on the team in digs (221) and fifth on the team with 31 total blocks in her senior season.
 
Also in her final season with Minnesota State, Emma Loveall is having the best season of her career. In heavier usage this season, the graduate senior is second on the Mavericks with 233 kills, a career high. Loveall set another career-high when she recorded 23 kills in the Minnesota State upset win over No. 10 Southwest Minnesota State.
 
There aren't too many players in the NSIC who have as much potential as Maverick freshman right side Avery Klein. She has proven to be a key piece in the MSU attack in 2024. Klein is third on the team with 231 kills, third on the team with 45 total blocks and is fifth in digs with 137. She, too, had the best game of her young career against the Mustangs a few weeks ago, setting new career-bests in kills (20), digs (23) and total blocks (4). Klein was named to the NSIC All-Conference First Team on Wednesday, the first time a Maverick freshman has made an all-conference team since 2012.
 
Minnesota State is currently tied for the seventh-place spot in the NSIC rankings with Sioux Falls and Augustana, all of whom have an 8-8 conference record. Minnesota Duluth is one spot behind those teams with an 8-9 record. The top eight teams make the conference tournament. In order to secure a spot for itself in the NSIC Tournament for the first time since 2018, Minnesota State volleyball will have to win both of its matches this weekend.
 
 
About the Beavers
Bemidji State is 8-16 in 2024 with a 3-13 conference record in the grueling NSIC. The team went 0-2 last week with a pair of losses against Winona State and SMSU. The Beavers took a set from the Mustangs in a 3-1 loss.
 
Ashley Crowl is the Beaver leader in kills with 263 in 2024. Crowl also leads the team in service aces with 34, ranks second on the team with 229 digs and has 29 total blocks this season.
 
Rylie Bjerklie has 80 total blocks to lead Bemidji State. She is the NSIC leader in solo blocks with 34.
 
Jada Wlodarczyk has 375 digs this season to lead the team. Emily Wade is the team's leading setter. She has assisted on 782 Beaver points this season.
 
Minnesota State is 26-2 against Bemidji State in the all-time series and the Mavericks have won the last nine matchups.
 
 
About the Golden Eagles
Minnesota Crookston is 7-17 in 2024. The Golden Eagles hold a 4-12 NSIC record and are 1-6 in home matches this season.
 
UMC volleyball ranks second in the digs per set in the conference with an average of 17.77 per set.
 
Maya Jones leads the Golden Eagles with 231 kills this season. Jones is also second on the team in blocks with 40 in total. Emma Malek is the team's blocks leader with 49 on the season.
 
Bailey Teveldal is Minnesota Crookston's assists and aces leader. Teveldal has 780 assists and 30 service aces in 2024. She is also fourth on the team with 213 assists. Kailee Waasdorp leads the Golden Eagles with 444 digs.
 
Nick Meseck is the head coach for the Minnesota Crookston volleyball program. Meseck has a total record of 13-67 through four seasons.
 
Minnesota State has 22-5 against the Golden Eagles and currently hold a nine-game win streak against them.