Game notes (pdf)
The Minnesota State University Moorhead volleyball team is now 4-3, 0-0 NSIC after going 1-2 at the Augustana Invite. This week the Dragons open up conference play by hosting Minot State Thursday and will travel to Bismarck to take on U-Mary on Saturday before traveling to face Northern State the following Tuesday.

Tough Road Ahead
MSUM's 20-game 2018 NSIC schedule features match-ups against seven teams that are either ranked or receiving votes in the latest AVCA Top-25 poll. The Dragons play No. 2 Concordia – St. Paul, No. 3 Northern State, No. 6 Minnesota Duluth, No. 7 Southwest Minnesota State, No. 20 Wayne State (Neb.), RV Upper Iowa, and RV Augustana.

Freshman Stepping Up
With nine true freshmen on the roster, the Dragons were looking to the young players to make immediate contributions on the court. Outside hitter Amanda Carlson ranks first on the team in kills per set (2.75), fourth in blocks per set (.46), and is tied for third in digs per set (2.54). Fellow freshman outside hitter Madison Wassink ranks second in kills per set (2.24), third in blocks per set (.48), and leads the team in serve receive percentage (.942). Setter Katelyn Selensky ranks second in assists per set (4.14) and is fifth in digs per set (2.18).

Dragons in the NSIC Rankings
MSUM has a duo of dynamic middle blockers in the top 20 ranks for blocks per set. Kylie Kanwischer currently sits at eighth with .93 blocks per set, while Kaylyn Jenkins is 12th with .89 blocks per set. Senior libero Monica Vega sits at fourth in digs per set with 4.78. Vega now finds herself sixth on the MSUM career digs list with 1,475.

Scouting the Opponents
Minot State University
Minot State is now 5-3, 0-0 NSIC. The Beavers went 2-2 in the season-opening Microtel and Travelodge Classic and finished 3-1 at the Rosella Meier Classic in Kearney, Neb. MSU's offence is led by Shelby Spuller who has a total of 107 kills, on a .171 hitting percentage. Setter Kelsey DeWulf averages 9.48 assists per set. Defensively, the Beavers are led by Karli Koza with 151 digs, averaging 4.87 digs per set which ranks second in the NSIC. Emily Falldorf leads the team with 28 total blocks. The Dragons faced the Beavers once this season at the Microtel and Travelodge Classic and won 3-2.

University of Mary
U-Mary is now 3-5, 0-0 NSIC. The Marauders went 3-1 at the Microtel and Travelodge Classic and finished 0-4 at the Augustana Invite. The Marauders will open up conference play this week against Northern State. Morgan Schnabel leads the team with 87 kills while Julianna Hughes leads the team with a .260 hitting percentage. Setter Sydney Murphy averages 8.97 assists per set. Breanna Donarski leads all Marauders with 3.37 digs per set and Madison Bergthold leads the team with 22 total blocks. The Dragons faced the Marauders once this season at the Microtel and Travelodge Classic and dropped the match 1-3.

Northern State University
Northern State is 8-0, 0-0 NSIC. The Wolves are ranked third in the most recent AVCA Coaches Poll. The team went 4-0 at the Concordia Portland Tournament in Portland, Oregon and followed that up by going 4-0 at the Augustana Invite. Hailey Busch leads the team in kills with 105, averaging 4.20 per set, while Jenna Reiff has 82 kills and a .523 hitting percentage. Ashley Rozell has 312 assists and averages 12.28 assists per set, she also leads the team with 20 aces. Jaiden Langlie is averaging 4.48 digs per set to lead the team. Jenna Reiff has 26 total blocks to rank sixth in the NSIC. The Wolves lead the conference with a .380 hitting percentage and also rank first with 2.24 aces per set.