SIOUX FALLS - The 24th-ranked University of Sioux Falls volleyball team, under the direction of Head Coach Joel McCartney, finished their non-conference slate 8-0 before heading into Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) play on Friday. First on the docket for the Cougars is a trip to Minot, N.D., on Friday to take on Minot State in the NSIC-opener. The Cougars will then go to the North Dakotan capital of Bismarck to face off against U-Mary on Saturday.

The Rundown (2019 Record):
Fri., Sept. 20, 5 p.m. at Minot State Beavers (0-8)
Sat., Sept. 21, 2 p.m. at U-Mary Marauders (1-7)

The Calm Before the Storm:
After spending the non-conference schedule on the road, alongside the Minot State and U-Mary matches being on the road, the Cougars will be back at the Stewart Center for the first time in 2019 on Sept. 27-28 where they will host MSU Moorhead and No. 8 Northern State.

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For all USF Volleyball home matches and all Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference contests, watch the Cougars live on Stretch Internet at USFCougars.com/watch. Live stats will be available for all matches. Links to home match live stats are available at USFCougars.com/livestats while links to all road match live stats are available on the USF Volleyball schedule at USFCougars.com.

Minot State Beavers (0-8):
The Beavers, directed by third-year head coach Dana Cordova, looked promising in their season-opener versus Cal State Chico in Hawaii, with the Beavers coming back from a 2-0 set deficit to force a fifth set, but lost in the decisive set. Since then, the Beavers have only taken one set in 22 attempts, falling to the host of the Chaminade Tournament in Chaminade, then taking loses to Colorado School of Mines and Angelo State in Colorado Springs, Colo. All three teams are currently receiving votes in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Coaches Poll.

The Cougars will be the first of six opponents for the Beavers in seven matches to be ranked or receiving votes in the current AVCA Coaches Poll, but the Beavers will look to senior outside hitter Shelby Spuller in hopes of knocking the Cougars off. Spuller leads the Beavers in kills (72) and kills/set (2.67), but has had some troubles making her attacks count, nearly doubling the amount of errors (41) as the next closest teammate (25) in 236 total attempts (.131 hitting percentage). In the backcourt, junior libero Karli Koza leads the team with 91 digs (3.37 digs/set), as well as service aces (5).

U-Mary Marauders (1-7):
The Marauders, led by Creighton University Hall of Fame member and second-year head coach Korie Lebeda, had a very similar non-conference schedule as the Beavers, having faced three teams that are currently ranked or receiving votes in the current AVCA Coaches Poll. The Marauders started the season in Houghton, Mich., for the Keweenaw Classic hosted by Michigan Tech. In Michigan, the Marauders had three of four matches go to five sets, with the Marauders forcing two of the fifth sets and Parview coming back to win after falling 2-0 to the Marauders. All three sets ended in loses for the Marauders, who were also swept by host Michigan Tech in their third match.

In the second weekend of play in Kearney, Neb., the Marauders had their first matchup against the host of the tournament, Nebraska-Kearney, which ended in a decisive three-set victory for the No. 6 Lopers. The Marauders were able to bounce back and get their first win on the season against New Mexico Highlands in four sets. The Marauders concluded their stay in Nebraska with a pair of losses to Arkansas Tech and No. 17 Rockhurst.

As the Marauders are travel partners with Minot State, U-Mary will face the same gauntlet of a start to conference play at the Beavers, facing with No. 9 Southwest Minnesota State coming to town on Friday before they host the Cougars. The Marauders are led offensively by junior opposite hitter Morgan Schnabel. Schnabel has a team-leading 114 kills (3.56 kills/set), but like Spuller of Minot State, has struggled to keep her attacks clean, committing 71 errors in 359 attempts. Defensively, junior libero Natalia Cruz and junior setter Sydney Murphy have done their best to keep the volleyball off the court, collecting 102 and 100 digs, respectively. Cruz also leads the team in service aces (11).

Cougars' Corner:
The Cougars are 8-0 to start the season, the best start to a season in program history. The Cougars also started the season winning their first 22 sets, another program best. In their first tournament on the season, the Best Western West Hills Inn Eagles Classic, in Chadron, Neb., the Cougars went a perfect 12-0 in their four matches, defeating Fort Hays State, Montana State Billings, South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, and host Chadron State.

At the Pioneer Invitational, the Cougars started hot in victories against Eastern New Mexico and Midwestern State, but were in a battle against Harding, a team one year out from upsetting Nebraska-Kearney in the 1-8 seed match during the NCAA Division II Central Regionals, played in Kearney. The Cougars had to battle back in each set against the Lady Bisons, but were able to cease the 27-25, 25-23, 26-24 sweep. The Cougars then faced the host of the invitational, Texas Woman's University, where they went toe-to-toe with the Pioneers to take the first set in an extra rally, 26-24. The Pioneers were the first team to seize a set from the Cougars, handing the Cougars a 25-13 lose in the second set before the Cougars fought to take the final two sets of the match to remain undefeated. 

At the conclusion of the Pioneer Invitational, senior outside hitter Abby Feyereisen was named Tournament Co-MVP, with junior setter Krista Goerger and redshirt sophomore middle blocker Kenzie Byers also being named to the All-Tournament team. Feyereisen garnered co-MVP honors after hitting at an impressive .474 percentage (41K-10E-78TA). Georger finished the tournament with 106 assists (8.15 assists/set), 32 digs (2.46 digs/set). Byers compiled a .223 hitting percentage (26K-12E-61TA).

Feyereisen also got recognition from the NSIC league office, being named one of the top offensive performers amongst the NSIC in the past week.

USF Volleyball ranked for the first time in program history:
For the first time in program history, the Cougars earned recognition as a Top 25 team in NCAA Division II, moving up to No. 24 in the AVCA Division II Coaches Poll Week 2 Poll released on Monday. 

"It's always an honor to be recognized as one of the nation's top programs, but ultimately, what matters at the end of the year for us is not as much votes, as a resume that will get us into the national tournament," Coach McCartney said. "And so, that is what we will continue to point to as a program, but we are certainly happy to be recognized in that way. We are going to need to get healthy to be able to defend that ranking."

Where the Cougars Stand in the NSIC:

Cougars' individual NSIC rankings:
Hitting Percentage:    Feyereisen - 5th (.379)
Kills:                            Freshman Nicole Jacobson - 11th (56, 3.29 kills/set)
Assists:                       Goerger - 8th (229, 9.96 assists/set)
Blocks:                        Byers - 10th (8BS-15BA-23 blocks, 1.00 blocks/set)
                                     Feyereisen - 11th (6BS-17BA-23 blocks, 1.00 blocks/set)
Digs:                            Senior transfer Allie Maloney - 7th (89, 4.45 digs/set)