SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- With a home weekend sweep under their belts, the University of Sioux Falls Volleyball Team (11-6, 6-3 NSIC) heads back out on the road to take on the Upper Iowa Peacocks on Friday, Oct. 15 (6 pm) in Fayette, Iowa and #8 Winona State Warriors on Saturday, Oct. 16 (4 pm) in Winona, Minn.

The Cougars are currently on a season-best four-match winning streak, after two back-to-back weekend sweeps. Over those four matches, USF has won 12-of-14 sets and had 3-0 sweeps against U-Mary (25-22, 25-18, 25-12) and Minot State (25-12, 25-6, 25-10).

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Upper Iowa (13-5, 6-3 NSIC)
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Winona State (16-2, 7-2 NSIC)
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History 
Upper Iowa
Since their first met in 2008, the Peacocks own a 8-5 advantage over the Cougars in the overall series. UIU started the series with four straight wins, until the Cougars took their first win of the series, with a 3-0 at home on October 11, 2013. USF's most recent win was another 3-0 decision in the Stewart Center on September 14, 2018. In their most recent matchup, the Peacocks took home a 3-2 win over the Cougars in Sioux Falls on October 5, 2019. 

Winona State
Since their first meeting in 2011, the Warriors own a 7-5 advantage over the Cougars in the overall series. USF started the series with a 3-2 win over the Warriors on November 1, 2011 in Winona, Minn. The Cougars' most recent win was a 3-2 decision over WSU on November 2, 2018 in Winona, Minn. In their most recent matchup, the Warriors took a 3-0 win over the Cougars in the Stewart Center on October 4, 2019. 

Breaking Down the Opponents
Upper Iowa
As a team, the Peacocks are hitting .243 percent on the season so far, with 859 kills on 2,195 attempts and 326 errors (13.6 kills per set). With 779 set assists, UIU is averaging 12.4 assists per set and have just seven ball handling errors. From the service line, the Peacocks have put down 116 service aces for an average of 1.8 aces per set. On defense, the Peacocks have 980 digs (15.6 per set) and 107 blocks (1.7 per set). Individually, the Peacocks are led on offense by Kaitlin Niedert with 166 kills on the year so far (2.63 kills per set). Nicole Pozorski had 578 set assists (9.32 per set) for UIU, while Charisma Herr has 25 service aces. Herr also leads the Peacocks on defense, with 281 digs on the year so far. At the net, Zoe Semelroth has 48 blocks for UIU, including four solo blocks. 

Winona State
As a team, the Warriors are hitting .281 percent on the year, with 883 kills on 2,175 attempts and 271 errors (14.5 kills per set). With 803 set assists, WSU is averaging 13.2 assists per set and have just seven ball handling errors. From the service line, the Warriors have tallied 76 service aces for an average of 1.2 aces per set. On defense, the Warriors have 1,054 digs (17.3 per set) and 128 blocks (2.1 per set). Individually, WSU is led Megan Flom, who has 246 kills on the season so far (4.1 per set). Bre Maloney has 649 set assists (11.39 per set) for WSU, while Becca Pagel has 18 service aces. Pagel also leads the Warriors on defense, with 309 digs (5.07 per set) on the year. Flom has 53 blocks for the Warriors, including 16 solo blocks. 

Breaking Down the Cougars
As a team, the Cougars are hitting .274 percent on the year so far, with 835 kills on 2,044 attempts and 274 errors (13.3 kills per set). With 772 set assists, USF is averaging 12.3 assists per set and have just nine ball handling errors. From the service line, the Cougars have racked up 130 service aces for an average of 2.1 aces per set. On defense, the Cougars have 851 digs (13.5 per set) and 138 blocks (2.2 per set). Individually, USF is led on offense by Averey Yaksich with 277 kills on the season so far. Yaksich, who will become the sixth player in USF history to reach the 800 kill mark this upcoming weekend, is averaging 4.4 kills per set and is hitting .287 percent. Three-time NSIC Setter of the Week Krista Goerger leads the Cougars with 642 set assists so far. Goerger, who surpassed 3,000 assists this past weekend at home, averages 10.19 assists per set. From the service line, Nicole Jacobson and Madison Wassink are tied for a team-high 24 service aces for the Cougars. On defense, TiaRose Nagami leads USF with 215 digs on the season so far (3.52 per set). At the net, Jordan Kuper has racked up 63 blocks for the Cougars, including 14 solo blocks. 

How USF stands in NCAA DII/NSIC
Aces Per Set - 2.06, 27th, DII; 2nd, NSIC
Assists Per Set -- 12.25, 43rd, DII; 8th, NSIC
Blocks Per Set --  2.19, 39th, DII; 7th, NSIC
Hitting Pct. -- .274, 9th, DII; 3rd, NSIC
Kills Per Set -- 13.25, 44th, DII, 8th NSIC
Team Services Aces -- 130, 26th, DII, 1st, NSIC
Team Assists -- 772, 49th, DII; 6th, NSIC

Player Notes -- Yaksich and Goerger continue to move up the USF career charts
Averey Yaksich needs 15 kills to become the sixth USF player in the DII era to reach 800 career kills. She ranks fourth all-time with 2,210 attack attempts and is 135 away from third (Bria Barfnecht, 2344, 2015-18). Yaksich, who set a program mark with 30 kills in a single match against Grand Valley State, ranks sixth all-time at USF with 918.5 points. She needs 27 kills to move into 1st for a season at USF and ahead of Lexi Scott, who had 303 in 2016. Her 4.40 kills per set rank sixth in NCAA DII and first in the NSIC while she is fourth in points per set at 5.01, a mark that ranks first in the NSIC. In terms of total kills, Yaksich is third nationally and first in the league with 277 and her 675 attacks rank 34th in DII. Yaksich has 559 digs, which is eighth for a career in school history. In addition, the senior from Omaha, Neb., has accumulated 38 double-digit kills totals in career matches with 15 double-doubles (kills/digs).

Krista Goerger already owns the career assist mark and is the only Cougar in history with 3,000. She has 3,038 so far. She is also USF's career record holder in service aces with 110. Goerger, who ranks 7th in the NSIC and 37th in DII with 10.19 assists per set (currently 4th on USF's season chart), has 580 digs. She has a career-best 57 assists, which set had twice vs Minot State, 11/15/19; and Wayne State, 9/6/2018. With 642 assists this year, she is fifth in the NSIC and her mark ranks eighth for a season all-time at USF. Goerger had a career-high 1,057 in 2018 which ranks second at USF all-time. With 580 digs, Goerger is seventh all-time. Goerger has 24 double-doubles (assists, digs) and a triple double (kills, assists and digs).

Individual - NSIC and NCAA DII rankings
Assists Per Set -- Krista Goerger, 10.19, 37th, DII, 7th, NSIC
Attacks Per Set -- Averey Yaksich, 10.71, 36th, DII, 3rd, NSIC
Kills Per Set -- Averey Yaksich, 4.40, 6th, DII; 1st, NSIC
Total Kills -- Averey Yaksich, 277, 3rd, DII; 1st, NSIC
Total Attacks -- Averey Yaksich, 675, 34th, DII; 3rd, NSIC
Total Assists -- Krista Goerger, 642, 27th, DII, 5th, NSIC
Hitting Pct. -- Jordan Kuper, .370, 28th, DII; 6th, NSIC

Averey Yaksich - Outside Hitter | Redshirt Senior | Omaha, Nebraska
Career - 785 kills (6th all-time at USF) & .239 hitting percentage & 115 blocks 
2021 - 277 kills & .287 hitting percentage & 35 blocks 

Krista Goerger - Setter | Senior | Mankato, Minnesota
Career - 3,038 assists (1st all-time at USF) & 203 kills
2021 - 642 assists & 53 kills 

TiaRose Nagami - Defensive Specialist | Senior | Pearl City, Hawaii
Career - 363 digs & 72 assists
2021 - 215 digs & 56 assists

Kenzie Byers - Middle Blocker | Redshirt Senior | Goodyear, Arizona
Career - 289 kills & .305 hitting percentage & 95 blocks
2021 - 49 kills & .343 hitting percentage & 15 blocks

Nicole Jacobson - Outside Hitter | Sophomore | Dakota Dunes, South Dakota
Career - 293 kills & .172 hitting percentage & 35 blocks
2021 - 149 kills & .187 hitting percentage & 17 blocks 

Jordan Kuper - Middle Blocker | Freshman | Scotch Grove, Iowa
Career & 2021 - 148 kills & .370 hitting percentage & 63 blocks,. with seven double-digil kills game (high of 15 vs MSU Moorhead, 10/2/2021)

Brooklynne Albrecht - Opposite | Sophomore | Kihei, Hawaii 
Career - 154 kills & .239 hitting percentage & 47 blocks
2021 - 53 kills & .322 hitting percentage & 15 blocks

Looking Ahead 
The Cougars return home next weekend to host #4 Concordia St. Paul on Friday, Oct. 22 at 6 pm in the Stewart Center. The Cougars then take on the Minnesota State Mavericks on Saturday, Oct. 23 at 4 pm.