SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- The University of Sioux Falls Volleyball Team (13-8, 8-5 NSIC), which has won six of its past eight league matches, is looking forward to a big weekend of competition after a split home weekend. The Cougars are set to host #13 Southwest Minnesota State (17-4, 9-4 NSIC) on Thursday, Oct. 28 in the Stewart Center at 6 pm. From there, the Cougars head down the road to take on the Augustana Vikings (13-8, 8-5 NSIC) in the Elmen Center on Saturday, Oct. 30 at 5 pm. 

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#13 SMSU
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Augustana
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History 
SMSU
Since their first meeting in 2012, the Mustangs own a 14-2 advantage over the Cougars in the overall series. SMSU started strong with a three-match winning streak, until the Cougars took their first win over the Mustangs on October 22, 2013 in Marshall, Minn, a 3-2 win for USF. Since that first win for the Cougars, the Mustangs went on to win 10 straight matches against USF, until the Cougars broke the streak with a 3-2 victory (8-25, 25-20, 23-25, 25-23, 17-15) over the then No. 11 Mustangs on October 9, 2018 in the Stewart Center. In that matchup, the Cougars rallied down, 2-1, to win a fourth set, 25-23, and then won a dramatic, 17-15 decision in the fifth set as Makenna Rockeman had 15 kills while Lexi Scott had six blocks and Megan Hamstad, 44 assists. Averey Yaksich was also on that team and had 14 kills and 15 digs. Scott (10 kills) finished off the match with a kill and service ace. In their most recent meeting, the Mustangs took a 3-0 win over the Cougars at the Stewart Center on October 31, 2019. 

Augustana
Since their first meeting in 2013, the Cougars own a 5-3 advantage over the Vikings in the overall series. The Cougars started the series strong with two straight match wins. USF's most recent win over the Vikings was a 3-2 decision in the Stewart Center on October 15, 2019. In that match, USF won 25-15, 25-23, 18-25, 18-25, 15-10 as KaSandra Springer had a career night. She hit .447 with a career-best 25 kills. In their most recent matchup, the Vikings took a 3-0 win over USF in the Elmen Center on November 5, 2019. 

Breaking Down the Opponents 
SMSU
As a team, the Mustangs are hitting .267 percent, with 1,046 kills on 2,559 attempts and 364 errors (13.9 kills per set). With 932 set assists, the Mustangs are averaging 12.4 assists per set and have 24 ball handling errors. From the service line, SMSU has tallied 144 service aces for an average of 1.9 aces per set. On defense, the Mustangs have 1,090 digs (14.5 per set) and 170 blocks (2.3 per set). Individually, the Mustangs are led on offense by Angela Young, with 319 kills and a .269 hitting percentage (4.25 kills per set). Alisa Bengen has 626 set assists for the Mustangs, while Rachel Fink has 32 service aces. On defense, Payton Hjerleid has 310 digs for the Mustangs, while Katelyn Nichols holds down the net with 82 blocks (16 solo blocks). 

Augustana
As a team, the Vikings are hitting .216 percent, with 1,064 kills on 2,847 attempts and 448 errors (13.3 kills per set). With 941 set assists, the Vikings are averaging 11.8 assists per set and have just 13 ball handling errors. From the service line, the Vikings have put down 102 service aces for an average of 1.3 aces per set. On defense, the Vikings have 1,257 digs (15.7 per set) and 182 blocks (2.3 per set). Individually, the Vikings are led on offense by Maddy Guetter, with 283 kills and a .213 hitting percentage (3.88 kills per set). Avery Thorson has 791 set assists for the Vikings and has also put down a team-high 21 service aces. On defense, the Vikings have 388 digs from Erika Bute, while Jolie Stecher holds down the net with 81 blocks (four solo blocks). 

Breaking Down the Cougars 
As a team, the Cougars are hitting .276 percent on the year so far, with 1,013 kills on 2,499 attempts and 323 errors (13.5 kills per set). With 941 set assists, USF is averaging 12.5 assists per set and have 16 ball handling errors. From the service line, the Cougars have racked up 143 service aces for an average of 1.9 aces per set. On defense, the Cougars have 1,034 digs (13.8 per set) and 168 blocks (2.2 per set). Individually, USF is led on offense by Averey Yaksich with 330 kills on the season so far. The 330 kills by Yaksich, which ranks seventh in DII and first in the NSIC, also ranks seventh all-time at USF and is just 19 away from sixth (KaSandra Springer, 349, 2019). Yaksich, who is now the sixth player in USF history to reach the 800 kill mark, is averaging a league-best 4.40 kills per set and is hitting .280 percent. With 4.40 kills per set, she is eighth in DII and the mark is on pace for a school record. Three-time NSIC Setter of the Week Krista Goerger leads the Cougars with 790 set assists so far. Goerger, who surpassed 3,000 assists  (3,186, school record) earlier this season, averages 10.35 assists per set for fourth in the NSIC. From the service line, Madison Wassink leads the NSIC and holds a team-high 28 service aces for the Cougars. On defense, TiaRose Nagami leads USF with 250 digs on the season so far (3.42 per set). At the net, Jordan Kuper has racked up 80 blocks for the Cougars, including 15 solo blocks. This past weekend, Kuper was a candidate for NSIC Player of the Week after recording 24 kills on 42 attacks and hit .429 to lead USF to a 1-1 record this weekend at home against No. 5 Concordia St. Paul and Minnesota State Mankato. She also had two digs, nine block assists and 28.5 points (4.75/set). With 24 kills, she averaged 4.0 kills per set from the middle. In a 3-0 win over MSU, she had 14  In a 3-0 win against MSU, she had 14 kills on 24 attacks and hit .458. She had 10 kills on 18 attacks and hit .389 in the 3-0 loss to No. 5 CSP. She has nine double digit kills matches with four times of 14 or more.  

How USF stands in NCAA DII/NSIC
Aces Per Set - 1.91, 47th, DII; 3rd, NSIC
Assists Per Set -- 12.55, 29th, DII; 4th, NSIC
Blocks Per Set --  2.44, 32nd, DII; 7th, NSIC
Hitting Pct. -- .276, 7th, DII; 1st, NSIC
Kills Per Set -- 13.51, 31st, DII, 5th NSIC
Team Services Aces -- 143, 3rd, NSIC
Team Assists -- 941, 4th, NSIC

Individual - NSIC and NCAA DII rankings
Assists Per Set -- Krista Goerger, 10.53, 22nd, DII, 4th, NSIC
Attacks Per Set -- Averey Yaksich, 10.95, 31st, DII
Kills Per Set -- Averey Yaksich, 4.40, 8th, DII; 1st, NSIC
Total Kills -- Averey Yaksich, 330, 7th, DII; 1st, NSIC
Total Attacks -- Averey Yaksich, 821, 35th, DII, 1st, NSIC
Total Assists -- Krista Goerger, 714, 28th, DII, 4th, NSIC
Hitting Pct. -- Jordan Kuper, .369, 24th, DII; 3rd, NSIC

Averey Yaksich - Outside Hitter | Redshirt Senior | Omaha, Nebraska
Career - 838 kills (6th all-time at USF) & .222 hitting percentage & 121 blocks 
2021 - 330 kills & .280 hitting percentage & 42 blocks 

Krista Goerger - Setter | Senior | Mankato, Minnesota
Career - 3,186 assists (1st all-time at USF) & 212 kills
2021 - 790 assists & 62 kills 

TiaRose Nagami - Defensive Specialist | Senior | Pearl City, Hawaii
Career - 398 digs & 81 assists
2021 - 250 digs & 65 assists

Kenzie Byers - Middle Blocker | Redshirt Senior | Goodyear, Arizona
Career - 289 kills & .278 hitting percentage & 95 blocks
2021 - 49 kills & .343 hitting percentage & 15 blocks

Nicole Jacobson - Outside Hitter | Sophomore | Dakota Dunes, South Dakota
Career - 326 kills & .174 hitting percentage & 43 blocks
2021 - 182 kills & .188 hitting percentage & 25 blocks 

Jordan Kuper - Middle Blocker | Freshman | Scotch Grove, Iowa
Career & 2021 - 186 kills & .369 hitting percentage & 80 blocks & seven double-digit kills game (high of 15 vs MSU Moorhead, 10/2/2021)

Brooklynne Albrecht - Opposite | Sophomore | Kihei, Hawaii 
Career - 180 kills & .224 hitting percentage & 54 blocks
2021 - 79 kills & .347 hitting percentage & 22 blocks

Looking Ahead 
The Cougars have a loaded plate next week, starting with hosting #11 Wayne State on Tuesday, Nov. 2 at 6 pm in the Stewart Center. After that, the Cougars hit the road to face #14 St. Cloud State in St. Cloud, Minn on Friday, Nov. 5 at 6 pm. From there they head to Duluth, Minn. to take on the (RV) Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs on Saturday, Nov. 6 at 4 pm.