BEMIDJI, Minn. — Bemidji State University Volleyball hosts a trio of matches over the coming week, starting with University of Sioux Falls and No. 10 Southwest Minnesota State University Friday and Saturday, with University of Minnesota Crookston coming to town Tuesday. Friday's match is set to be the Beavers' Pink Out match in support of cancer awareness.
Fans are invited to wear pink Friday as the Beavers will also wear pink on the court. Prior to the second-set intermission, fans are encouraged to purchase numbered balls in the lobby to throw for BSU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee's "Aim-for-the-Ace" contest. Money from the contest will be donated to the Joe Lueken Cancer Center in Bemidji. During the second-set intermission, fans will have 20 seconds to toss their ball into a target on the court for the chance to win a TV, thanks to Midco.
BSU is 14-7 this season, posting a 6-7 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference record. Last weekend, the Beavers were swept by No. 2 Wayne State College in three sets, then went to four against Augustana University, both on the road. After this trio of matches, the Beavers will have just four matches left to grab and solidify their spot in the NSIC tournament. Going into the weekend, the Beavers are one spot shy of making the tournament but are hopeful to earn a spot as they have already beaten a number of the teams remaining on the schedule at least once.
The BSU offense is led by
Ava Athman with 265 kills and 27 service aces.
Madison Tripp leads the setting efforts for BSU with 813 total assists this season. Tripp is also tied with Athman at the service line with 27 aces. In the back row,
Ava Boelter leads the team with 323 digs this season, averaging 4.36 per set. She has added 382 total receptions with a receiving percentage of .950.
Isabella Vander Velden leads at the net with 61.0 blocks and .82 blocks per set, marking 13 solo.
The USF Cougars are 12
th in the conference with an 8-13 overall record and 4-9 in the conference. Last week, USF swept Minnesota State University Moorhead and UMC. They'll head to (RV) University of Minnesota Duluth and Augustana to close this week and head into the last two weekends of the regular season.
SMSU enters the weekend at 17-3 overall, 11-2 in the NSIC. The Mustangs are second in the conference, behind the WSC Wildcats. SMSU is on a six-match win streak after falling to WSC on Sep. 29 in three sets. They take on the UMD Bulldogs Friday and have a rematch against WSC Tuesday.
The Beavers and UMC Golden Eagles have already seen each other twice this season with BSU taking sweeps in both matches. UMC, sitting at 3-18 overall and 1-12 in the conference, hosts AU and WSC Friday and Saturday before making the trip to Bemidji on Tuesday. The Golden Eagles close their road schedule at Minot State University and University of Mary next weekend before closing out the year at home against Jamestown and Northern State.
For more information on the Bemidji State Volleyball program, tickets or schedules, visit BSUBeavers.com, follow the Beavers on X (@BSUBeaversVB), like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers) and like them on Instagram (@BSUBeaversVB).
Located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men's and women's hockey membership in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).
