BEMIDJI, Minn. – The Bemidji State University volleyball team begins Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play this weekend and will travel to (RV) Northern State University and Minnesota State University, Moorhead. The Beavers (1-7) begin the weekend at the Wolves (5-3) Friday, Sept. 9 followed by traveling to Moorhead, Minn., to face the Dragons (3-5) Saturday.
 
Bemidji State and Northern State will face-off at 6:00 p.m., Friday followed by MSU Moorhead at 2:00 p.m., Saturday. Live Stats and a live stream can be found here.
 
The Beavers are paced by junior Hallie Mertz who has totaled 79 kills and averages 2.55 k/s. She is followed by sophomore Ashley Crowl and senior Ashley East who each have 46 kills through the team's first eight matches. BSU is hitting .105 as a team and are led by junior Lauren Sitter who is hitting .197 with 42 kills in 122 attacks.
 
The Beavers have split setting duties between sophomore Emily Wade and freshman Hally Holker. Wade paces the Beavers with 118 assists with Holker trailing closely at 117.
 
On defense, junior Lauren Justesen leads BSU with 110 digs and is 11^th in the NSIC with a 3.79 d/s average. Junior Rylie Bjerklie leads BSU at the net with 10 blocks while Sitter follows with eight.
 
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—