MINOT, N.D. – The Minot State volleyball team travels to Marshall, Minn. to take on No. 2 Southwest Minnesota State on Friday at 6 p.m. before traveling to Sioux Falls, S.D. to face Sioux Falls on Saturday at 2 p.m.

Beaver Bits

Freshman Karli Koza was tabbed as the NSIC Defensive Player of the Week for her performance last week vs. No. 17 Augustana and No. 21 Wayne State.

Sophomore Shelby Spuller carries the Minto State offense with 3.55 kills per set.

Sophomore Emily Falldorf has notched 117 kills while Hayley Swain and Jeanne Brenner have posted 116 kills apiece.

Junior Kelsey Dewulf paces the Beavers with 9.43 assists per set.

Swain leads Minot State with 0.84 blocks per set, followed by Falldorf with 0.77 blocks per set. Koza ranks third in the NSIC with 5.31 digs per set.

Scouting the Southwest Minnesota State Mustangs

Southwest Minnesota State enters Friday night's match with a No. 2 ranking in the AVCA Division II Coaches Top 25 Poll and record of 16-1 (8-1 NSIC) this season. Taylor Reiss leads the NSIC with 4.73 kills per set while Megan Larson ranks second in the NSIC with 12.65 assists per set. Brooke Borchardt leads the Mustang defense with 0.95 blocks per set, ranking 10^th in the NSIC.

Head coach Terry Culhane is in his 14^th season at the helm of the Mustang program and holds a career record of 356-94.

Southwest Minnesota State leads the all-time series with Minot State, 7-0. In their last meeting, the Mustangs swept the Beavers in Marshall, Minn. on November 12, 2016.

Scouting the Sioux Falls Cougars

Sioux Falls comes into the weekend with a record of 10-4 (5-4 NSIC) and receiving votes in the AVCA Division II Coaches Top 25 Poll. Makenna Rockeman and Bria Barfnecht pace the Cougar offense with 3.60 and 3.14 kills per set, respectively. Megan Hamstad leads the Cougars with 10.04 assists per set while Lexi Scott ranks third in the NSIC with 1.11 blocks per set.

Head coach Joel McCartney is in his seventh season at Sioux Falls and has notched a record of 104-99 with the Cougars and an overall record of 448-254 in his 21 years of coaching.

The Cougars lead the all-time series with the Beavers, 13-9. Sioux Falls swept Minot State on November 11, 2016 in their last meeting.

Up Next

Minot State returns to the court next weekend, as they travel to No. 5 Minnesota Duluth on Friday, Oct. 20 at 6 p.m. and St. Cloud State on Saturday, Oct. 21 at 2 p.m. Links to live stats and video are available on msubeavers.com.