MATCHUPS: Minot State finishes the 2016 season on the road as the Beavers travel to the University of Sioux Falls Friday (7 p.m.) and No. 4 ranked Southwest Minnesota State Saturday (3 p.m.)
RECORDS: Minot State is 5-22 overall and 0-18 in NSIC play after falling in two games last week. USF is 11-7 in NSIC play and sports a solid 17-9 overall record, while the Mustangs enter the final weekend of play with a stellar 22-4 overall mark and a 16-2 record in NSIC play. SMSU is tied with Concordia-St. Paul for the top spot in the league with two games to go.
COACHES CORNER: Minot State head coach
Ben Kaszeta is in his second season at the front of the Beaver volleyball program. He is 8-46 overall with the Beavers and 20-90 as a head coach. Joel McCartney is in his sixth season at Sioux Falls and has a 95-94 overall record. SMSU's Terry Culhane, in his 13th season as head coach, is 334-91 overall. Culhane was named NSIC Coach of the Year Thursday.
RANKINGS: Southwest Minnesota State is ranked fourth overall in the latest AVCA Division II Coaches poll. MSU and USF are unranked. The matchup with SMSU Saturday will be the ninth top 25 game for the Beavers in 2016.
SERIES HISTORY: The Beavers have gone back and forth with USF since both team's NAIA days with the Cougars holding a slim 11-9 lead. MSU is 0-6 against SMSU all since joining the NSIC.
NOTING THE BEAVERS: Minot State ranks 12th in the NSIC in aces on the season, thanks in part to
Kelsey Dewulf's 34. She is averaging .38 aces per set, good for eighth overall in the league… Senior
Cindy Pelo also ranks in the top 10 in the league in digs. Pelo, who led MSU two seasons ago and this year in the defensive category, has 401 overall and is eighth overall with a 4.27 per-set average.
NOTING THE COUGARS: Sioux Falls has played some of its best volleyball as of late, winning five of its past six matches including a win over No. 1 ranked Minnesota Duluth and Northern State, both on the road… USF is the top blocking team in the Northern Sun with 214 on the year… Jordan Calef is a big reason why as the senior had 106 to lead the league… Kelli Holloway is 10th in the NSIC in aces, averaging .36 per set.
NOTING THE MUSTANGS: Southwest Minnesota State has dropped just 13 sets throughout an 18 match NSIC schedule… SMSU and Concordia-St. Paul come into the final weekend tied for the league lead with 16-2 record, but the duo is not just battling each other as three other teams have just three losses and are a game back… Newly crowned NSIC Player of the Year Taylor Reiss leads the league with a 4.91 kills average, swatting 447 on the season… Megan Larson has 1,166 assists.
SENIOR SALUTE: MSU seniors
Janelle Nagy and
Cindy Pelo were honored last weekend at home in their final contests at the MSU Dome. Each will finish their collegiate careers on the road this week. Both have put up solid numbers. Pelo comes into the weekend with her second 400-plus dig season with 401 so far. She had 431 two seasons ago to lead MSU. Nagy has proved to be one of the most versatile players in the league with 181 kills, 278 assists and 232 digs.
