Beavers set to host Vikings and No. 6 Wildcats this weekend
Bemidji State Volleyball will host Augustana and No. 6 Wayne State Friday and Saturday
Bemidji State University Beaver Volleyball is set to host the Augustana University Vikings and No. 6 Wayne State College Wildcats at the BSU Gymnasium this weekend. The Beavers host the Vikings at 6 p.m. Friday and Wildcats at 2 p.m. Saturday.
The 5-5 Beavers are coming off a weekend that was filled with high levels of competition. The team hosted then No. 15 University of Minnesota Duluth and then No. 12 St. Cloud State University on homecoming weekend. The Beavers fell in both matches but started off Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play with a spark, forcing the Bulldogs to five sets and holding their own against the Huskies.
On the offensive, Ashley Crowl leads the Beavers with 121 kills this season, averaging 3.03 kills per set. Just behind Crowl, Rylie Bjerklie has tallied 101 kills with a per-set average of 2.53. Crowl also leads with 153.5 points this season with Bjerklie following close behind with 126.5 points. Setter Emily Wade has marked 321 total assists this season with 8.03 assists per set. Crowl has also dominated from the serving line, grabbing 23 service aces with Ava Athman following her with 14.
Defensively, liberos Jada Wlodarczyk and Kylie Struble lead the charge with 141 and 101 digs this season, respectively. Zayda Priebe has been a menace for opposing attackers, grabbing 38 total blocks with six solo and 32 assisted. Bjerklie has matched Priebe in solo blocks and is just seven behind in assisted, marking 31 total.
Historically, the Beavers have struggled to find the win column against Augie and Wayne State. The BSU versus AU series sits at 26-3 in favor of Augustana with the Vikings taking the past 17 matches. On the BSU versus WSC side, Wayne State has tabbed 35 wins over Bemidji State’s three. The Beavers broke a 23-match Wildcat win streak in 2019, but have not been able to keep that momentum, going 0-5 from September 2021 to present day.
The Vikings come into this weekend with a 7-6 record and are 3-1 in the NSIC. Most recently, Augie fell to No. 22 Northern State University, 3-2. A day prior, the Vikings grabbed a 3-2 win over Minnesota State University Moorhead. Offensively, the Vikings are led by Maya Wente and Reagan Jansen. Wente has grabbed 181.5 points with 155 kills and Jansen has tallied 157 kills with 170.5 points. Defensively, Gabby Jones has marked 169 digs and is the top receiver for the Vikings. At the net, Sydney Tims has marked 64 blocks with 10 solo and 54 assisted.
The nationally ranked Wildcats are 10-2 this season and are undefeated in NSIC play. Currently on a five-game win streak, dropping just one set in the process, WSC is coming off a home-weekend sweep over Minot State University and University of Mary. Taya Beller leads the Wildcat offensive with 144 kills and 179.5 points this season, while Molly Romano has set Beller up for a large majority of those kills, marking 451 total assists for 11.28 assists per set. Brooke Peltz has been many teams’ target for attacks, giving her 190 digs this season, almost 100 more than her closest teammate Channatee Robles.
Following this weekend, the Beavers head to Moorhead, Minn. to take on the Minnesota State University Moorhead Dragons on Oct. 8 at 6 p.m. They’ll then make a Saturday trip to Sioux Falls, S.D. to play the University of Sioux Falls at 4 p.m.