MOORHEAD, Minn. - The Minnesota State University Moorhead volleyball team (6-7, 1-4 NSIC) continues with Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) play this week, traveling for a pair of back-to-back road matches against Sioux Falls (Sept. 30) and No. 4 Southwest Minnesota State University (Oct. 1). The Dragons return home for back-to-back home matches after the road trip.
 
After suffering a 3-0 loss to then ranked No. 14 Augustana on Saturday (Sept. 24) at home, MSUM is back on the road for back-to-back matches against Sioux Falls and Southwest Minnesota State. The Dragons face Sioux Falls (8-5, 2-3 NSIC) on Friday evening, turning around Saturday for another NSIC matchup against No. 4 Southwest Minnesota State (10-3, 4-1 NSIC).
 
Scouting the Opposition
Sioux Falls
The Cougars (8-5, 2-3 NSIC) are coming off a two-game win streak, with the most recent win coming against the University of Mary. Sioux Falls is currently ninth in the NSIC volleyball standings. OH Makenna Rockeman leads the Cougars offense, averaging 3.98 kills/set ranking third in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference in kills per set. Defensively, MB Jordan Calef leads the team with 1.28 blocks/set, and libero Abby Folk leads the squad with 3.59 digs/set. Sioux Falls finished 12th in the NSIC a season ago with a record of 5-15.
 
Southwest Minnesota State
The No. 4 ranked Mustangs (10-3, 4-1 NSIC) are coming off a four-game win streak, with the most recent win coming against Minot State. SMSU is currently fifth in the NSIC volleyball standings. MB Taylor Reiss leads the way offensively for the Mustangs, averaging a NSIC best 5.13 kills/set. Libero Amber Messner and MB Sarah Parker have been defensive staples for SMSU. Messner averages 4.41 digs/set, while Parker averages 0.98 blocks/set. Last season, the Mustangs finished third in the NSIC with a 17-3 mark in conference play.
 
History Against Sioux Falls
Sioux Falls has only been a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference for five years. The all-time series against Sioux Falls is at 5-4. The teams last met during the 2015 season, when Sioux Falls defeated MSUM 3-1. OH Carly Masloski had 11 kills for the Dragons in that match, and libero Monica Vega had 11 digs.
 
History Against Southwest Minnesota State
MSUM has played SMSU in volleyball a total of 106 times. The Dragons have only played one school more times than they have played the Mustangs. The all-time series with SMSU is at 46-60. The teams last met during the 2015 season, when SMSU defeated MSUM in a five-set thriller 3-2. OH Carly Masloski led the Dragons with 16 kills and a .159 hitting percentage. Libero Monica Vega finished the match with a team-high 17 digs.
 
Freshman Contributors
Redshirt-freshman MB Sarah Hagler is the only freshman on the team that has started in every match, and played in every set this season. Hagler is averaging 2.44 kills/set, leads the team defensively and is 5th in the NSIC with 1.00 blocks/set. Redshirt-freshman Ellie Rutten is averaging 2.44 kills/set. Redshirt-freshman setter Makayla Wenzel leads the Dragons and is 8th in the NSIC with 10.04 assists/set.
 
All About the Balance
MSUM is at its best when its offense is balanced with multiple players putting down kills. On the season, MSUM has four players who are averaging at least 2.00 kills per set in Carly Maslosk (3.21), Sarah Hagler (2.44), Ellie Rutten (2.44) and Taylor Liesemeyer (2.16).
 
Vega Keeps Digging
Sophomore libero Monica Vega has accumulated 272 digs through 13 total games this season. Vega is currently second in the NSIC in digs averaging 5.62 digs/set. She set a career-high in digs against Central Methodist University on Sept. 3 with 37. Vega was also awarded the NSIC Defensive Player of the Week for her efforts during the opening week of play for the Dragons.
 
Up Next
MSUM returns home for back-to-back matches. The Dragons battle Bemidji State on Oct. 7 at 7 p.m., before playing Minnesota Crookston on Oct. 8 at 3 p.m.