MOORHEAD, Minn. - The Minnesota State University Moorhead volleyball team (9-13, 4-10 NSIC) continues with Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) play this week, hitting the road for a pair of matches against No. 3 Concordia-St. Paul (Oct. 28) and Minnesota State Mankato (Oct. 29). The Dragons return to Nemzek Fieldhouse for their final home stand after the road trip.
On the Road Again
After a straight set sweep loss to No. 6 Winona State on Saturday (Oct. 22), MSUM is back on the road for two NSIC matches this week against No. 3 Concordia-St. Paul and Minnesota State Mankato. The Dragons face No. 3 Concordia-St. Paul (20-2, 12-2 NSIC) on Friday night, turning around Saturday for another NSIC matchup against Minnesota State Mankato (11-11, 5-9 NSIC). This is the first meeting between MSUM and the two teams this season.
Scouting the Opposition...
Concordia-St. Paul
The AVCA Top-25 third-ranked Golden Bears (20-2, 12-2 NSIC) are riding a four-game win streak, with the most recent match resulting in a straight set sweep over U-Mary. Concordia-St. Paul is currently tied for second place in the NSIC women's volleyball standings, sitting one game behind first. OH Anna Schlaak leads the Golden Bears offense, averaging 3.42 kills/set with a total of 253 kills. Defensively, MB/RS Emma Lange leads the team with 60 total blocks, and OH Emily McDonough leads the squad with 4.43 digs/set. Concordia-St. Paul won the NSIC a season ago with a conference record of 18-2.
Minnesota State Mankato
The Mavericks (11-11, 5-9 NSIC) are 2-2 in the last four games, with the most recent match resulting in a 3-1 win over Minot State. Minnesota State Mankato is currently tied for 9th in the NSIC women's volleyball standings, just one game above the Dragons. MB Krista Hassing leads the way offensively for the Mavericks, averaging 3.65 kills/set. LIB/DS Haley Fogarty and Hassing have been defensive staples for Mankato. Fogarty averages 4.51 digs/set, while Hassing has 77 total blocks. Last season, the Mavericks finished tied for 8th in the NSIC with a 10-10 mark in conference play.
History Against Concordia-St. Paul
MSUM has played Concordia-St. Paul a total of 34 times in its history, with MSUM trailing the all-time series 6-28. The teams last met during the 2015 season, when MSUM fell 0-3. OH
Carly Masloski had six kills for the Dragons, and libero
Monica Vega had 6 assists.
History Against Minnesota State Mankato
The Dragons have played Minnesota State Mankato a total of 36 times with MSUM lagging in the all-time series 12-24. The teams last met during the 2015 campaign, when MSUM won in straight sets, 3-0. Masloski had a team-high 14 kills for the Dragons.
Tough Road Ahead
MSUM will face AVCA Top-25 teams in four of its final six games of the season. Those teams include No. 3 Concordia-St. Paul, No. 2 Southwest Minnesota State, No. 8 Wayne State and No. 7 Augustana.
Consistency is Key
OH, and captain,
Carly Masloski set a career-high in kills with 27 against Upper Iowa in a 3-1 win last week. Masloski has double-digit kills in five of the last seven matches while averaging a .200 hitting percentage. She has hit for double-digit kills in 64 percent of the matches so far this season.
Vega Keeps Digging
Sophomore libero
Monica Vega has accumulated 465 digs through 22 total games this season. Vega currently ranks first in the NSIC, and 15th nationally, in digs averaging 5.74 digs/set. She set a career-high in digs against Minnesota Crookston on Oct. 8 with 44. Vega is a 2016 two-time NSIC Defensive Play of the Week selection.
Makayla Managing the Offense
Redshirt-freshman setter
Makayla Wenzel has started in all but one of the Dragons matches this season. Wenzel has amassed 806 set assists for an average of 9.95 digs/set. She currently ranks 8th in the NSIC in assists/set. The redshirt-freshman also has 188 digs on the season to go along with 13 service aces.
Tough Sledding Away from Home
The Dragons are still searching for their first NSIC road win of the season. Currently 0-6, MSUM has two road games this weekend, and ends the season on a two-game road trip.
Up Next
MSUM returns home for the final time of the 2016 season for a two-game home stand against Sioux Falls on Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. and Southwest Minnesota State on Nov. 5 at 4 p.m.
