THIS WEEK: Minot State finishes off its home regular season schedule with a pair of games at the MSU Dome. The Beavers play host to nationally ranked Minnesota Duluth Friday at 7 p.m. and finish the season on senior day with St. Cloud State Saturday at 3 p.m.

RECORDS: Minot State (3-20, 0-16 NSIC) went 0-2 last week in games against No. 4 Southwest Minnesota State and Sioux Falls. Minnesota Duluth (18-7, 11-5) won both its games last week against No. 24 Winona State and Upper Iowa. St. Cloud State (8-16, 4-12) did not fare as well against Upper Iowa and Winona State falling in both matches.

COACHES CORNER: Minot State head coach Ben Kaszeta is in his first season at the front of the Beaver volleyball program. Kaszeta worked previously as an assistant for Terry Gamble at Jacksonville State in 2014 and McNeese State in 2013. Prior to his work under Gamble, Kaszeta was the head coach at NCAA Division II Lake Superior State from 2010-2012. He has been coaching since 2007 when he started his coaching career at Mott Community College. Chad Braegelmann is in his first season as the head coach for St. Cloud State. In seven seasons at the University of Minnesota-Morris, Braegelmann coached his team to a 129-91 record. In 2013 Minnesota-Morris won a share of the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference title with a 23-12 record along with a 12-2 conference record. Beginning his career in 2001 he coached at Colby-Sawyer College posting a 156-80 record and winning two conference championships. Jim Boos, the coach of the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs, has coached his team to a school record 195 wins in 13 seasons. Now in his 14th year Boos has set the bar high for his team as he has taken UMD to 13 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. Boos has several coaching awards including being named AVCA National Coach of the Year in 2004, four-time AVCA Central Region Coach of the Year, and three-time NSIC Coach of the Year.

RANKINGS: Minnesota Duluth is the No. 10 team in the November 2 American Volleyball Coaches' Association Poll. Minot State and St. Cloud State did not received any votes.

SERIES HISTORY: Minot State has yet to win a game against Minnesota Duluth. The Beavers are 0-5 in their series against the Bulldogs dating back to 2012. St. Cloud State is 6-1 against Minot State in their series that has been played since 2011.

LAST TIME OUT: Minot State played both Minnesota Duluth and St. Cloud State earlier this season. Being swept in both matches, three sets to none, the Beavers did not have much success against these opponents. Minot State was out hit 57 kills to 22 against Minnesota Duluth in their previous matchup on October 2. With an attack percentage of .409 the Bulldogs played well offensively and defensively by only allowing an attack percentage of .122. Struggling again playing St. Cloud State the Beavers had an attack percentage of .092 striking 30 kills while St. Cloud State recorded 46 kills.

NOTING THE BEAVERS: Minot State is playing its final two home games this weekend as it looks for the first conference win of the season. Mallory Sall (OH, Sr., Port Coquitlam, British Columbia) led the Beavers last week with 18 kills, nine in each game. Tarah Dabovich (MH, Sr., Phoenix, Ariz.) recorded eight total blocks including one solo block and seven block assists. This week will mark the final home games for these two seniors along with two other juniors who are graduating from Minot State early.

NOTING THE BULLDOGS: After being the No. 1 ranked team in the country Minnesota Duluth has slipped down to No. 10 after suffering multiple losses in conference play. Despite some slips the Bulldogs have been able to remain one of the top teams in the conference with the second best hitting percentage (.291) and second most kills per game (14.47). Minnesota Duluth does have one area of weakness, however, in the serving category. With the fewest aces served in the NSIC the Bulldogs have not been able to capitalize on their serving.  

NOTING THE HUSKIES: Another team that struggles serving, St. Cloud State ranks just above Minnesota Duluth as the second lowest team in the NSIC in served aces. Where the Huskies stand out is on defense as they sport the mark for fifth most digs per set in the conference with 16.58. Defensive specialist Brianne Stamer leads the Huskies and also the Northern Sun with 5.54 digs per set.

MALLORY SALL: Mallory Sall (OH, Sr., Port Coquitlam, British Columbia) will leave Minot State as one of the best players in MSU history. Currently ranking third in career kills with 1,342 she will end her career with the eighth most sets played as well. Sall also ranks fourth in career block assists with 136 and will move up into the third position is she is able to assist seven more blocks in the next four games.

TARAH DABOVICH: Tarah Dabovich (MH, Sr., Phoenix, Ariz.) has been a blocking machine in her time at Minot State. She will leave the Beavers with the second most block solos (currently 52) and at least the second most block assists (204). If she is able to assist on 12 more blocks, Dabovich will hold the school record for most in a career. Both block solos and block assists have only been recorded since 2007. Dabovich currently sits at sixth in total career blocks with 256 and needs just five more to move into the top five. Dabovich will rank seventh in most matches played if she makes an appearance in her remaining four matches bringing her total to 116.

SHAUNESSY DAUWALDER: Shaunessy Dauwalder (MH, Jr., Stanley, N.D.) is one of two juniors graduating from Minot State before their senior season. With 117 block assists in her career, a statistic that has been kept since 2007, Dauwalder currently ranks fifth in MSU history. She has the third most kills this season on the team and leads the team in hitting percentage with .215, the only player hitting over 20 percent while attempting more than 150 attacks. Dawaulder also leads the team in block assists with 52.

TAYLOR BUTTERS: Taylor Butters (OH, Jr., Spokane Valley, Wash.) has reached career highs in all statistical categories in her final season with the Beavers. Second on the team in kills (155) Butters has been an offensive force for Minot State in 2015. Butters also ranks third on the team in total blocks with 37 (35 assisted, 2 solo). With 52 digs on the season and six aces served Butters has had a well-rounded final year.

BY THE NUMBERS
58: Total blocks from Tarah Dabovich (MH, Sr., Phoenix, Ariz.). That mark leads the team by a margin of 2.

232: Kills from Mallory Sall (OH, Sr., Port Coquitlam, British Columbia). That mark leads the team by a margin of 77.

287: Digs from Logan Desorcy (L, Fr., St. Andrews, Manitoba). That mark leads the team by 96.

721: Assists from Kelsey Dewulf (S, Fr., Huntley, Ill.). That mark leads the team by a margin of 685.