MINOT, N.D. – The Minot State volleyball team plays host to a pair of ranked Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference foes this weekend. The Beavers will battle No. 17 Augustana on Friday night at 5 p.m. before facing No. 21 Wayne State on Saturday at 1 p.m. Links to live stats and video are available on msubeavers.com.

Beaver Bits

Sophomore Shelby Spuller leads the Minot State offense with 3.63 kills per set, ranking ninth in the NSIC.

Sophomore Jeanne Brenner paces the balanced attack behind Spuller with 93 kills, edging 92 kills from Brileigh Boyce and Emily Falldorf.

Junior Kelsey Dewulf carries the Beavers and ranks 10^th in the NSIC with 9.12 assists per set.

Sophomore Hayley Swain has notched a team-high 38 blocks, followed by Falldorf's 37 blocks.

Freshman Karli Koza sits sixth in the NSIC with 4.96 digs per set this season.

Minot State returns to action next Tuesday at 7 p.m. when they travel to face Dickinson State.

Scouting the Augustana Vikings

Augustana enters Friday night's match with a No. 17 ranking in the AVCA Division II Coaches Top 25 Poll and a record of 12-5 (3-4 NSIC) this season. Courtney Place ranks sixth in the NSIC with 3.78 kills per set this season. Lauren Waite and Ashley Wilson follow Place with 2.75 and 2.70 kills per set, respectively. Alex Banker ranks fifth in the NSIC with 11.14 assists per set. Bailey Koch and Ashley Wilson carry the Viking defense with 57 blocks apiece.

Head coach Jennifer Jacobs is in her first season leading the Viking program and holds a career record of 12-5.

Augustana leads the all-time series with Minot State, 9-0. In their last meeting, the Vikings swept the Beavers on Nov. 5, 2016.

Scouting the Wayne State Wildcats

Wayne State enters the weekend with a No. 21 ranking in the AVCA Division II Coaches Top 25 Poll and a record of 10-6 on the season, including a 4-3 mark in the NSIC. The Wildcats will face UMary on Friday night before battling the Beavers on Saturday afternoon.

Erin Gross paces the Wildcat offense with 2.85 kills per set, followed by Katie Stephens and Jaci Brahmer 2.29 and 2.20 kills per set, respectively. Megan Gebhardt leads the Wildcats with 8.98 assists per set. Maria Wortmann leads the defense with 1.31 blocks per set, followed by Brahmer and Tarrin Beller with 1.16 and 0.90 blocks per set, respectively.

Head coach Scott Kneifl is in his 13^th year at the helm of the Wildcat program and carries a career record of 313-109.

Wayne State leads the all-time series with Minot State, 7-0. The Wildcats swept the Beavers 3-0 in Minot, N.D. on Nov. 4, 2016.