SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- After a 3-0 match sweep on No. 8 Winona State on Saturday, the University of Sioux Falls Volleyball Team (12-7, 7-4 NSIC) returns home to host No. 5 Concordia St. Paul on Friday, Oct. 22 (6 pm) and Minnesota State Mankato on Saturday, Oct. 23 (4 pm). USF, which stands 12-7 overall, is tied for sixth in the NSIC with a 7-4 league mark. The Cougars have gone 5-1 in its last six NSIC matches.

Last weekend USF dropped a (3-0) road match on Friday, Oct. 15 to Upper Iowa by a combined seven points. The Cougars rebounded with a balanced attack, led by NSIC kills leader Averey Yaksich (11), to record a 3-0  upset win over then No. 8 Winona State in Winona, Minn., on Saturday, Oct. 16.

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No. 5 Concordia St. Paul (17-3, 11-0 NSIC)
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Minnesota State Mankato (11-8, 6-5 NSIC)
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History 
Concordia St. Paul
Since their first meeting in 2013, the Golden Bears hold an 8-2 advantage over the Cougars in the overall series. CSP started the series on a seven-match winning streak, until the Cougars took their first win over the then ranked #1 Bears with a 3-0 decision in the Stewart Center on October 27, 2018. USF's second ever win in the series occurred the very same year, this time a 3-1 win over the then #8 Bears at the NSIC  Tournament in St. Paul, Minn. on November 6, 2018. In their most recent matchup, the Bears took a 3-1 win over the Cougars in St. Paul, Minn. on October 12, 2019. 

Minnesota State Mankato
Since their first meeting in 2013, the Cougars hold a 5-4 advantage over the Mavericks in the overall series. USF started the series with two straight wins over MSU, until the Mavericks took their first win on September 25, 2015 in Sioux Falls, 3-2, over the Cougars. USF's most recent win was a 3-1 decision in the Stewart Center on October 26, 2018. In their most recent matchup, the Mavericks took a 3-0 win over the Cougars in Mankato, Minn. on October 11, 2019. 

Breaking Down the Opponents
Concordia St. Paul
As a team, the Golden Bears are hitting .251 percent on the season so far, with 961 kills on 2,414 attempts and 355 errors (13.7 kills per set). With 900 set assists, CSP is averaging 12.9 assists per set and have 15 ball handling errors. From the service line, the Golden Bears have put down131 service aces for an average of 1.9 aces per set. On defense, CSP has 1,047 digs (15 per set) and 165 blocks (2.4 per set). Individually, the Golden Bears are led on offense by Jasmine Mulvihill with 247 kills on the year so far (3.53 kills per set). Ellie Veldman has 617 assists for the Bears (9.35 per set), while Tori Hanson has 23 service aces. Hanson also leads the Bears on defense, with 331 digs so far this season (4.73 per set). At the net, Kennedy Brady has 72 blocks for CSP, seven of which were single blocks. 

Minnesota State Mankato
As a team, the Mavericks are hitting .198 on the season, with 841 kills on 2,456 attempts and 355 errors (11.7 kills per set). With 777 set assists, MSU is averaging 10.8 assists per set and have 14 ball handling errors. From the service line, the Mavericks have tallied 98 service aces for an average of 1.4 aces per set. On defense, MSU has 1,046 digs (14.5 per set) and 163 blocks (2.3 per set). Individually, the Mavericks are led on offense by Mariah Edgington with 189 kills on the season (2.78 kills per set). Dana Schindler has 330 set assists for MSU (4.85 per set) and has a team-high 19 service aces. On defense, Mara Quam leads the Mavericks with 321 digs, while Kiya Durant holds down the net with 80 blocks, 18 of which were solo blocks. 

Breaking Down the Cougars
As a team, the Cougars are hitting .275 percent on the year so far, with 918 kills on 2,267 attempts and 295 errors (13.3 kills per set). With 853 set assists, USF is averaging 12.4 assists per set and have 10 ball handling errors. From the service line, the Cougars have racked up 139 service aces for an average of two aces per set. On defense, the Cougars have 953 digs (13.8 per set) and 154 blocks (2.2 per set). Individually, USF is led on offense by Averey Yaksich with 303 kills on the season so far. Yaksich, who is now the sixth player in USF history to reach the 800 kill mark, is averaging a league-best 4.39 kills per set and is hitting .289 percent. Three-time NSIC Setter of the Week Krista Goerger leads the Cougars with 714 set assists so far. Goerger, who surpassed 3,000 assists earlier this season, averages 10.35 assists per set. From the service line, Madison Wassink holds a team-high 27 service aces for the Cougars. On defense, TiaRose Nagami leads USF with 234 digs on the season so far (3.49 per set). At the net, Jordan Kuper has racked up 71 blocks for the Cougars, including 15 solo blocks. 

How USF stands in NCAA DII/NSIC
Aces Per Set - 2.01, 36th, DII; 1st, NSIC
Assists Per Set -- 12.36, 34rd, DII; 5th, NSIC
Blocks Per Set --  2.2, 33th, DII; 6th, NSIC
Hitting Pct. -- .275, 7th, DII; 1st, NSIC
Kills Per Set -- 13.3, 30th, DII, 8th NSIC
Team Services Aces -- 139, 29th (T), DII, 1st, NSIC
Team Assists -- 853, 5th, NSIC

Individual - NSIC and NCAA DII rankings
Assists Per Set -- Krista Goerger, 10.35, 30th, DII, 4th, NSIC
Attacks Per Set -- Averey Yaksich, 10.71, 33rd, DII
Kills Per Set -- Averey Yaksich, 4.39, 6th, DII; 1st, NSIC
Total Kills -- Averey Yaksich, 303, 4th, DII; 1st, NSIC
Total Attacks -- Averey Yaksich, 748, 27th, DII
Total Assists -- Krista Goerger, 714, 28th, DII, 4th, NSIC
Hitting Pct. -- Jordan Kuper, .361, 31st, DII; 5th, NSIC

Averey Yaksich - Outside Hitter | Redshirt Senior | Omaha, Nebraska
Career - 822 kills (6th all-time at USF) & .240 hitting percentage & 119 blocks 
2021 - 303 kills & .289 hitting percentage & 39 blocks 

Krista Goerger - Setter | Senior | Mankato, Minnesota
Career - 3,111 assists (1st all-time at USF) & 207 kills
2021 - 714 assists & 57 kills 

TiaRose Nagami - Defensive Specialist | Senior | Pearl City, Hawaii
Career - 382 digs & 76 assists
2021 - 234 digs & 60 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 - 310 kills & .172 hitting percentage & 39 blocks
2021 - 166 kills & .187 hitting percentage & 21 blocks 

Jordan Kuper - Middle Blocker | Freshman | Scotch Grove, Iowa
Career & 2021 - 162 kills & .361 hitting percentage & 71 blocks & seven double-digit kills game (high of 15 vs MSU Moorhead, 10/2/2021)

Brooklynne Albrecht - Opposite | Sophomore | Kihei, Hawaii 
Career - 166 kills & .245 hitting percentage & 49 blocks
2021 - 65 kills & .333 hitting percentage & 17 blocks

Looking Ahead 
The Cougars stay home next weekend to host #14 Southwest Minnesota State on Thursday, Oct. 28 at 6 pm in the Stewart Center. Then Cougars head down the block to take on the Augustana Vikings on Saturday, Oct. 30 at 5 pm at the Elmen Center.