MANKATO, Minn. – The Minnesota State volleyball team (19-5, 11-5 NSIC) concludes the home portion of their schedule this weekend as the squad hosts Parents Night on Friday, Nov. 7th against Bemidji State (7-17, 4-12 NSIC) with first serve scheduled for 6 p.m. The No. 24-ranked Mavericks will then face No. 25 Minnesota Duluth (17-6, 10-6 NSIC) inside the Taylor Center for Senior Night scheduled for a 2 p.m. start. 

About the Mavericks
The Minnesota State volleyball team (19-5, 11-5 NSIC) holds the No. 24 spot in this week's AVCA Top-25 Poll for the second straight week. The Mavericks' 19 wins mark their highest total since 2011 when they finished 20-9. Under Head Coach Corey Phelps, who is having his best season at MSU, the team sits fourth in the NSIC standings heading into the weekend.

MSU is coming off a successful road trip, sweeping both Minot State and the University of Mary to keep its momentum rolling into the final stretch of the regular season. Against the Beavers, the Mavericks hit .229 as a team while totaling nine service aces and 70 digs. In the win over UMary, MSU delivered one of its best serving efforts of the season, recording a team-high 16 aces to cap off a dominant weekend performance.

In NSIC play, the Mavericks hold a .247 hitting percentage while averaging 12.58 assists, 13.77 kills, 1.95 blocks, 2.47 service aces, and 17.08 digs per set.

Setter Jadyn Lester continued to be the engine of the Mavericks' offense, totaling 31 assists and 15 digs against Minot State before leading the team with 38 assists versus UMary. She added three service aces over the weekend, bringing her season total to 51, while contributing two kills in each match. Lester ranks fifth in the NSIC with 11.10 assists per set and is tied with teammate Mary Satori for the league lead in service aces, averaging 0.65 per set, which also ranks Lester eighth nationally.

At the net, middle blocker Emily Kern played a key role on both sides of the ball, tallying five total blocks against Minot State and following that performance with 11 kills on a .625 hitting percentage against UMary. 

Defensively, libero Ellie Kline led the back row with 28 digs versus Minot State and nine more against UMary. She also added three service aces in each match, bringing her total to six on the weekend. Kline has now reached 420 digs on the season and ranks third in the NSIC with an average of 5.32 digs per set, helping MSU rank second in the conference in digs per set.

Against UMary, Morgan Bjella stood out from the service line, recording five service aces. Marking a career high in aces for Bjella. Outside hitter Jaelyn LaPlante added 10 kills on 15 attempts with a .667 hitting percentage, while Avery Rosenberg continued her consistency with 11 kills in each match, hitting .476 against Minot State and .348 versus UMary. Rosenberg ranks 15th in the NSIC this season with a .315 hitting percentage.

About the Beavers
The Bemidji State Beavers enter the week with a 7-17 overall record and a 4-12 mark in NSIC play. The Beavers are currently on a four game losing streak with recent losses to then No. 6 Wayne State, Augustana, Sioux Falls, and then No. 18 Southwest Minnesota State. They fell in three sets to all but Sioux Falls, which they dropped in four. Their last win came against then No. 18 Minnesota Duluth, when they hosted the Bulldogs and came out victorious in five sets. BSU is 1-5 this season against nationally ranked opponents.

Within NSIC play, the Beavers post a .186 hitting percentage while averaging 11.08 assists, 12.21 kills, 1.31 blocks, 1.54 service aces, and 14.34 digs per set.

Lily Riese leads the Beavers' offense with 310 kills this season, averaging 3.48 per set and totaling 323.5 points for an average of 3.63 per set. Madison Tripp commands the offense with 559 assists on the season, averaging 6.28 assists per set. She has also tallied 20 service aces, ranking among the team's top three servers. From the back row, Kylie Struble anchors the defense with 284 digs this season, averaging 3.19 per set.

Head coach Erika Bute enters her first full season at the helm of the Bemidji State Volleyball program after being named the 15th head coach in program history in Feb. 2025. Bute earned the position after serving as an assistant coach during the 2024 season.

Minnesota State holds a 10 match winning streak against Bemidji State. Since the two teams first met in 1995, the Mavericks have dominated the series 27-2 and remain undefeated against the Beavers at the Taylor Center.

About the Bulldogs
The Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs enter the week with an overall record of 17-6 and a 10-6 mark in NSIC play. The Bulldogs dropped both matchups on the road last weekend, falling to then No. 18 Southwest Minnesota State and Sioux Falls, both in four sets. UMD is currently on a three match losing streak that began with a loss to then No. 6 Wayne State. Despite the recent skid, the Bulldogs are tied for fifth place in the NSIC standings alongside Northern State, Southwest Minnesota State, and Sioux Falls.

Minnesota Duluth has established itself as one of the most balanced offensive teams in the league, holding a .266 hitting percentage while averaging 13.14 assists, 14.05 kills, 2.02 blocks, 1.77 service aces, and 15.49 digs per set.

The Bulldogs' attack is led by Kylie Broten and Madeline Guetzkow, who have combined for 475 kills this season. Broten averages 2.86 kills per set and ranks fourth in the NSIC in hitting percentage with an impressive .386 mark, while Guetzkow contributes 3.26 kills per set. At the setter position, Ava Jones has been the catalyst for the Bulldogs' offense. The sophomore has tallied 975 assists this season, averaging 11.34 per set, which ranks fourth in the NSIC, just above MSU's Lester.

Head coach Jim Boos, the winningest coach in program history, has led Minnesota Duluth since 2002 and continues to guide one of the most consistent programs in Division II volleyball.

In the teams' last meeting in Nov. 2024, Minnesota State fell to Minnesota Duluth in five sets. Overall, the Mavericks trail the all time series 12-30 and hold a 3-12 record against the Bulldogs when playing at home.