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The Minnesota State University Moorhead volleyball team is now 9-10, 5-7 NSIC. On Tuesday, the Dragons squared off against No. 2 Northern State University and fell 3-0. The Dragons are back in action at home to take on Augustana University (S.D.) on Friday at 6:00 p.m. and (RV) Wayne State College (Neb.) on Saturday at 2 p.m.
 
Augustana University
The Vikings are 7-13 overall and 2-10 in the NSIC. Last week, Augustana picked up their first conference wins with 3-0 victories over Minnesota Crookston and Bemidji State. On Tuesday night the Vikings dropped a 3-0 decision to Wayne State. Courtney Place leads the offense with 294 kills (4.26 k/s). Place carries much of the offensive load, and she has 827 attempts on the year—490 more than the next closest player. Place currently ranks third in the NSIC in kills per set. Setter Avery Thorson averages 9.42 assists per set. Abby Benson is the team's blocking leader with 52 total blocks (.81 b/s) and ranks 14^th in the conference. The Vikings average 16.14 digs per set, and Kaylea Ahrens leads the team with 305 digs (4.24 d/s). Ahrens sits ninth in the conference in digs per set. In August, the two teams met at the Augustana Tournament with the Vikings winning the match 3-0.
 
(RV) Wayne State College
The Wildcats are 16-5 overall and 8-4 in the NSIC. Wayne State is riding a three-match win streak that has featured 3-0 victories over Bemidji State, Minnesota Crookston, and Augustana (S.D.). The team is receiving votes in the most recent AVCA Coaches Top 25 poll. Wayne State is hitting .233 as a team and holds the opposition to a .143 hitting percentage. The Wildcats run a balanced attack that has four players averaging over two kills per set. Katie Stephens leads the team with 2.71 kills per set. Jaci Brahmer averages 2.33 kills per set with a .327 hitting percentage. Megan Gebhardt sets up the offense and averages 9.76 assists per set. As a team, the Wildcats lead the conference in blocking with 2.62 blocks per set. Tarrin Beller and Jaci Brahmer are first and second in the NSIC with 1.29 and 1.18 blocks per set, respectively. Defensively, Haley Kauth leads the team with her 318 digs (4.42 d/s). Maddie Duffy averages .43 aces per set to rank in the top five in the conference. In last year's meeting, the Dragons were defeated 3-0.
 
About MSUM
Vega Keeps Digging
Senior libero Monica Vega has 1,686 career digs and is averaging 4.48 digs per set. In Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action, she has averaged 5.02 digs per set which ranks fourth in the conference. She needs 121 digs to surpass Emily Hegg's 1,807 digs from 1994-1997. With eight regular-season matches left, Vega needs to average over 15.12 digs per set to move into third place.
 
Freshman Contributors
Outside hitter Amanda Carlson continues to carry a major role in NSIC play. Last week, Carlson led the team in kills with nine against Winona State and 13 against Upper Iowa. Katelyn Selensky has been a versatile athlete this season, and she averages 3.64 assists per set to go along with her 2.23 digs per set average. Selensky is third on the team in blocks per set with .50. Madison Wassink has seen time as an outside hitter and averages 1.93 kills per set. Outside hitter Lexi Gilbertson has worked her way into a starting position throughout the season and adds to the depth from the freshman group.
 
Strength in Blocking
The Dragons continue to out-block their opponents and hold a 2.2 to 1.7 blocks per set edge. In conference action, the team is averaging 2.36 blocks per set. MSUM ranks third in the conference in blocks per set. Sophomore Kylie Kanwischer averages 1.04 blocks per set and sits seventh in the NSIC. Right on her heels is junior Kaylyn Jenkins who averages 1.03 blocks per set—good for eighth in the NSIC.
 
On the Road Again
The Dragons hit the road to take on No. 11 Southwest Minnesota State University on Oct. 19 at 6 p.m. and the University of Sioux Falls on Oct. 20 at 2 p.m.