BSU Volleyball returns home to host Northern State and MSU-Moorhead

The Bemidji State University volleyball team returns home to host Northern State University and Minnesota State University, Moorhead Friday, Oct. 15 and Saturday, respectively. The Beavers (0-17, 0-9 NSIC) begin the weekend’s action by first hosting the Wolves (10-7, 5-4 NSIC) Friday at 6 p.m. BSU then hosts the Dragons (1-16, 1-8 NSIC) Saturday at 4 p.m. Both games over the weekend will be at the BSU Gymnasium.

Bemidji State is still looking for its first win of the season after an 0-17 start to the season. The Beavers traveled to No. 4 Concordia University-St. Paul and Minnesota State University, Mankato last weekend and fell in two, three-set matches to the Golden Bears and Mavericks.

Northern State travels to Bemidji after receiving 30 votes in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association national poll and are 10-7 (5-4 NSIC) on the season. The Wolves travels to Wayne State College and Augustana University last weekend and fell 3-0 to the Wildcats and 3-2 to the Vikings and are 1-4 in their last five matches.

MSU-Moorhead prepares for its road trip after two, three-set losses at Augustana and Wayne State last weekend and are 1-16 (1-8 NSIC) on the season. The Dragons have lost six consecutive matches and their lone win of the season came on Sept. 21 against Minot State University.

Bemidji State is led on offense by senior Anna Averkamp who paces the team with 144 kills and ranks 20th in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference with a 2.62 k/s average. Junior Meeghen Dahlager and sophomore Rylie Bjerklie each lead the team by hitting .127 on the season while Averkamp follows in third by hitting .123. Bjerklie is second on the team with 74 kills while Dahlager is close behind with 72.

Setting the ball for the Beavers is freshman Emily Wade who has totaled 409 assists this season and is 11th in the NSIC with a 7.30 a/s average.

On defense, the Beavers are led by sophomore Madison Weyker in the backcourt who has totaled 187 digs in 56 sets and is 12th in the conference with a 3.34 d/s average. She is followed by sophomore Lauren Justesen who has 129 digs and Wade with 114 digs. At the net, BSU is led by Bjerklie with 28 blocks (1s-27a) while freshman Lauren Sitter follows with 21 (3s-18a).

On the serve, Bemidji State is led by Justesen with 11 aces this season while Averkamp follows with nine and sophomore Maddi Siedenburg and Weyker each have added eight.