BEMIDJI, Minn. – The Bemidji State University volleyball team face two teams ranked in the top ten of the American Volleyball Coaches Association, in No. 7 St. Cloud State University and No. 4 University of Minnesota Duluth this weekend.
 
BSU (3-18, 2-11 NSIC) will start their weekend games a day earlier with action starting on Thursday, Oct. 20 as it travels to St. Cloud, Minn., to take on the Huskies (17-4, 8-4 NSIC). The Beavers will then return home for action on Saturday by hosting the fourth-ranked Bulldogs (19-2, 11-2 NSIC) at the BSU Gymnasium.  
 
Match one for the Beavers will start at 6:00 p.m. against St. Cloud State, followed by a 4:00 p.m., start against Minnesota Duluth, Saturday. Live stats and stream can be found, here.
 
This season Hallie Mertz has led the Beavers in kills tallying 197 in her 74 sets played this season. Behind the junior is sophomore Lauren Sitter with 120 and redshirt junior Ashley East racking up 95. In her 97 attacks, freshman Zayda Priebe leads BSU by hitting .320. With 329 attacks Sitter is second with a hitting percentage of .204. Two Beavers lead the way with aces; Mertz and Emily Wade tallying 16 on the season. 
 
Setting up the attacks are Hally Holker and Wade. Holker broke 300 assists last weekend with her new total of 308. Wade is right behind with 290 assists. 
 
On defense, junior Lauren Justesen leads BSU with 154 digs in her 39 sets played. Mertz and Ashley Crowl round out the top three in digs for the Beavers tallying 149 and 145 respectively. Junior Rylie Bjerklie leads BSU at the net with 41 blocks while senior Rylee Pompa has been a part of 34. 
 
 
For more information on the Bemidji State volleyball program, follow the Beavers on Twitter (@BSUBeaversVB), like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers and Volleyball Facebook) and follow them on Instagram (@BSUBeaversVB)
 
Nestled in Northern Minnesota's wooden region and located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, BSU sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men's hockey membership in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and women's hockey membership in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).
 
--bsu—