Beavers host No. 4 Bulldogs for midweek matchup
After earning its first two wins in Northern Sun Intercollegiate conference play, the Bemidji State University volleyball team has a quick turnaround to face No. 4 University of Minnesota Duluth. The Beavers (5-11, 2-6 NSIC) host the conference-leading Bulldogs (14-2, 7-1 NSIC) Tuesday, October 15 at 6 p.m.
Minnesota Duluth: Tuesday’s clash with the Bulldogs will be the 110th meeting in the all-time series dating back to 1972. Minnesota Duluth dominates the all-time series record and are 98-10-1 against the Beavers. Since 1998 the Bulldogs have won 32 consecutive matches against Bemidji State and the Beavers last win came all the way back on Sept. 30, 1998. In 95 matches since 1978, Bemidji State is 2-93 against UMD. Bemidji State and UMD last played in 2018 and the Bulldogs defeated the Beavers 3-0 in Duluth. Head coach Kevin Ulmer is 0-3 all-time coaching against the Bulldogs
Minnesota Duluth: Minnesota Duluth begins the week tied for the top spot in the NSIC standings with a 7-1 league record and are 14-2 overall. The Bulldogs are also one of the best teams in the nation and are ranked No. 4 in the American Volleyball Coaches’ Association poll. However, the Bulldogs are coming off a weekend where they fell to No. 9 Northern State University in five sets but rebounded with a three-set win over Minnesota State University, Moorhead.
Minnesota Duluth is one of the top attacking teams in the conference and average 15.56 kills per set to rank first and hit at a .279 percentage as a team to rank second. Its defense is also one of the best and leads the conference by holding opponents to just 10.58 kills per set while opponents are hitting at a .176 clip to rank fifth.
Minnesota Duluth has two of the top hitters in the conference in Kate Berg and Abby Thor. Berg leads the team and is third in the NSIC by averaging 4.37 kills per set. Thor averages 2.73 kills per set but is the conference’s most efficient attacker by hitting at a .405 clip. The Bulldogs also have Meredith Sutton is second on the team by averaging 3.00 kills per set and is hitting at a .240 clip. Emily Balts coordinates the Bulldogs attack and is the conference’s leading setter by averaging 12.54 assists per set.
On defense, the Bulldogs are led by Keena Seiffert who is third in the league by averaging 5.04 digs per set while Thor leads the team at the net by averaging 0.91 blocks per set.
Bemidji State: The Beavers continue their homestand after earning two, four-set wins against Minot State University and University of Mary this past weekend. Bemidji State now sports a 5-11 overall record and are tied for 12th in the NSIC with a 2-6 league record.
Bemidji State is 13th in the conference by hitting at a .173 efficiency and are 12th by averaging 11.42 kills per set. The Beavers’ defense is 14th in the league by allowing opponents 13.06 kills per set while opponents are hitting .227 against BSU to rank 14th.
The Beavers are led on offense by junior Becky Schroeder who averages 2.84 kills per set and hits at a .232 efficiency for second on the team. She is followed by senior Julie Touchett who averages 2.56 kills per set and leads the team by hitting at a .296 efficiency. Junior Anna Averkamp follows closely by averaging 2.55 kills per set while sophomore Haley Stolt averages 2.48 kills per set. BSU’s attack is coordinated by redshirt freshman Maddie Mackinac who averages 9.68 assists per set (600), the ninth best average in the NSIC.
On defense, the Beavers are led by senior Emma Hallmann who leads the team and is 10th in the conference by averaging 4.24 digs per set. At the net, junior Randi Johnson leads the team with 44 blocks (14s-30a) while Touchett follows closely with 38 (10s-28a).