MANKATO, Minn. – The Minnesota State volleyball team (10-16, 8-10 NSIC) returns home for its final regular season weekend as it hosts No. 13 Southwest Minnesota State on Friday at 6 p.m. and Sioux Falls on Saturday at 3 p.m. Parent Night will be recognized Friday, while Senior Day festivities will take place Saturday.
 
About the Mavericks
 
Minnesota State is coming off a challenging road trip that saw the Mavericks fall to Augustana and No. 2 Wayne State. MSU opened the weekend by winning a tightly contested first set against the Vikings before Augustana responded with a four-point win in set two. The third set was another battle, but the Vikings edged the Mavericks 26-24 to take a 2-1 lead. With the momentum on their side, Augustana closed out the match with a 25-18 victory in the fourth set.
 
Against the second-ranked Wildcats, the Mavericks showed plenty of fight. Wayne State claimed the opening set, but MSU answered with a 25-21 win in set two to even the match. The Wildcats responded by taking the third set 25-15 before holding off a late Maverick rally in the fourth. Minnesota State battled until the end but ultimately fell 25-22, giving Wayne State the 3-1 match victory.
 
Avery Rosenberg continued her strong senior campaign with 26 kills while hitting .423 across two matches last week. Avery Klein added 23 kills and averaged 2.88 kills per set, while Jadyn Lester recorded 76 assists and three service aces.
 
About the Mustangs
 
No. 13 Southwest Minnesota State enters the weekend with a 20-5 overall record under head coach Tyler Boddy and remains among the top teams in both the NSIC and the nation.
 
Leah Jones leads the Mustang offense with 283 kills and an average of 3.29 kills per set. Defensively, Ashlynn Schroeder paces SMSU with 417 digs, averaging 4.85 per set. At the net, Natalie Pilney has totaled 91 blocks this season, averaging 1.06 blocks per set.
 
Southwest Minnesota State leads the all-time series 29-15. The two teams last met in September when the Mustangs earned a three-set victory over the Mavericks.
 
About the Cougars
 
Sioux Falls enters the weekend with a 10-16 overall record and a 6-12 mark in NSIC play under head coach Dan Matthews.
 
Ella Walker leads the Cougar attack with 280 kills while averaging 2.80 kills per set and hitting .385 on the season. Maci Lerseth anchors the back row with 441 digs, more than double the next-highest total on the team. At the net, Walker and Hailey Wolfe have been key contributors for USF's blocking unit and combined for five blocks in the previous meeting against Minnesota State.
 
The Cougars hold an 11-8 advantage in the all-time series. The teams met earlier this season in September, with the Mavericks claiming a four-set victory.
 
Minnesota State will honor parents following Friday night's match against No. 13 Southwest Minnesota State as part of Parent Night festivities. During Saturday's match against Sioux Falls, the Mavericks will recognize seniors Avery Rosenberg, Emily Clausen, Olivia Sturgis and Emma Antigua for their contributions to the program.
 
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