Beaver Volleyball travels to UMC for Halloween before hosting SCSU Saturday

It’s an odd week for the Bemidji State University volleyball team as the Beavers spend Halloween at University of Minnesota, Crookston before returning home to host No. 11 St. Cloud State University Saturday, Nov. 2. The Beavers (6-15, 3-10 NSIC) have just seven matches remaining on the 2019 schedule including three at the BSU Gymnasium.

Minnesota Crookston: Thursday’s frightful meeting between the Golden Eagles and Beavers will be the 45th meeting in the all-time series dating back to Oct. 31, 1994. The teams met three times last season where Bemidji State earned wins in two matches but in their last meeting, Minnesota Crookston earned a 3-0 victory in Crookston, Minn. Head coach Kevin Ulmer is 3-5 in his career coaching against the Golden Eagles.

St. Cloud State: Saturday’s clash with the Huskies will be the 70th meeting in the all-time series dating back to 1969. St. Cloud State owns the all-time series record at 47-22 and have won five consecutive matches against the Beavers including this season’s earlier meeting on Sept. 12. The Huskies earned a 3-0 (25-14, 25-20, 25-13) victory in non-conference action and out-hit the Beavers .236 to .019. Julie Touchett and Becky Schroeder led the Beavers with six kills each in the match. Head coach Kevin Ulmer is 1-5 all-time coaching against the Huskies.

The Beavers host the Huskies after traveling to face Minnesota Crookston on Halloween and are coming off a weekend where they fell to Augustana University in three sets but responded with a 3-1 win over No. 8 Wayne State College (Neb.). Bemidji State is tied for 12th in the NSIC standings with a 3-10 league record and are 6-15 overall.

Bemidji State is 13th in the conference by hitting at a .168 efficiency and are 12th by averaging 11.35 kills per set. The Beavers’ defense is 13th in the league by allowing opponents 13.45 kills per set while opponents are hitting .235 against BSU to rank 13th.

The Beavers are led on offense by junior Becky Schroeder who averages 2.85 kills per set and hits at a .211efficiency for second on the team. She is followed by senior Julie Touchett who averages 2.53 kills per set and leads the team by hitting at a .282 efficiency. Sophomore Haley Stolt follows closely by averaging 2.51 kills per set and is coming off a career-high 18 kills versus No. 8 WSC. BSU’s attack is coordinated by redshirt freshman Maddie Mackinac who averages 9.60 assists per set (749), the 10th best average in the NSIC. Mackinac recently earned her 1,00th career assist after recording 47 against Wayne State.

On defense, the Beavers are led by senior Emma Hallmann who is 12th in the conference by averaging 4.13 digs per set. Hallmann is moving up the career digs list at BSU and needs just 38 digs to move into second place all-time at BSU. At the net, Touchett paces the team with 62 blocks (19s-43a) and is 14th in the NSIC.