SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- After a strong pre-conference performance, the University of Sioux Falls Volleyball Team begins Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference schedule this weekend (Sept. 17-18) on the road. On Friday, September 17, the Cougars will open the NSIC season by traveling to Crookston, Minn. to take on Minnesota Crookston at 6 pm. On Saturday, September 18, USF heads to Bemidji, Minn. to face the Bemidji State Beavers starting at 1 pm. 

Follow Along -- 
MN Crookston
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Bemidji St. 
Don't miss a minute of USF Volleyball action via live stats, watching live, or on our Twitter @USF_Athletics. 

Preseason Recap 
Oredigger Classic Tourney Assessment 
USF, directed by first-year Head Coach Dan Mathews, opened the season by going 3-1 at the Oredigger Classic in Golden, Colo. In the tourney hosted by Colorado Mines, USF outhit opponents .254 to 217 and had 185 kills to 175 for opponents. In addition, USF had a 182-162 set assist advantage and a margin of 26-to-23 in service aces. Leading that effort was senior setter Krista Goerger, the career all-time set assist leader at USF. She had 152 during the four matches. Redshirt sophomore Nicole Jacobson had 34 kills (second on the team) with a team-best 10 service aces. Kuper had 33 kills, senior middle blocker Kenzie Byers added 27 and a team-best hitting mark of .377. USF finished with 174 digs (11.6 per match) with senior defensive specialist TiaRose Nagami supplying a team-high 55 or 3.67 per set. USF had a a 3-2 win over Grand Valley State when they won the final set, 15-12 in a back and forth match. In that match, senior outside hitter Averey Yaksich established a school record with 30 kills in the match. After losing 3-0 to #22 Colorado Mesa, USF defeated Midwestern State, 3-0, and Colorado Christian, 3-1. In the match with CC, the Cougars rallied down a set to win.

Gorilla Classic Tourney Assessment 
USF was 2-2 at the Gorilla Classic with a 3-0 win over Truman State and 3-0 over Northwestern Oklahoma State. The Cougars dropped a 3-2 decision to host Pittsburg State in a back-and-forth match as the Gorillas won the fifth set, 15-12. USF also dropped a 3-1 decision to St Mary's (TX). During the four matches, USF finished with a .239 hitting mark to .131 for opponents. The Cougars averaged 12.13 kills with 182 kills on 465 attempts and 71 errors. USF had 159 assists, including 121 this year.  Goerger also had a team high eight service aces USF was led by Yaksich with 49 kills on 137 attacks and a .226 hitting mark. With 18 kills today, Yaksich has 637 in her career which is just 11 behind Kate Hart (2013-14), 648, for seventh all-time at USF. Jacobson had 34 kills for 2.62 per set and added five service aces as USF had a 35-25 margin on the serve. TiaRose Nagami led USF with 43 digs (3.31 per set) while Goerger and Jacobson both had 28 and Yaksich, 25. USF finished with 20 blocks and outscored opponents, 237-to-185.  

Breaking Down Opponents 
Minnesota Crookston
The Golden Eagles sit at 0-4 on the season so far, after a tough weekend at the Steel City Showcase in Pueblo, Colo. In their last 10 matchups, the Cougars own a 9-1 advantage over Minnesota-Crookston, with USF taking a 3-0 sweep in their most recent matchup in the Stewart Center on October 18, 2019. The Cougars and Golden Eagles met for the first time on October 25, 2013, where Minnesota-Crookston took a 3-0 win over the Cougars at the Stewart Center. Since then, USF has gone on a nine-match winning streak. 

Bemidji State
After two tough preseason tourneys, the Beavers are currently 0-8 on the season going into the matchup. In their last 11 matchups, the Cougars own a 10-1 advantage over Bemidji State, with USF taking a 3-0 win over the Beavers in their most recent matchup in the Stewart Center om October 19, 2019. In their first meeting on September 3, 2011, the Cougars took their first and only loss to the Beavers, a 3-1 decision in favor of the Beavers at the Stewart Center. Since then, the Cougars have gone on a 10-match winning streak against BSU. 

USF Season Breakdown - League Rankings
Over its eight matches this year, the Cougars have a .246 hitting mark (377 kills on 930 attacks with 148 errors), a mark that ranks sixth. USF's opponents have a .175 hitting  mark.  In terms of blocking, USF is 11th in the NSIC with 1.67 per set or 50 total.  The Cougars rank third in the NSIC with 203 service aces per set and its total of 61 ranks second in the league, just behind the 62 by Minnesota Duluth.  In terms of hitting percentage Jordyn Hamm is 13th with .315 with 43 kills on 92 attacks and 14 errors. 

Senior Averey Yaksich is third in the NSIC in kills per set at 3.93 with 118 across 30 sets. She has 135.5 points (4.52 per set) and 298 attacks with 10 service aces. Also for USF senior Kenzie Byers in 12 sets has a team-best .377 hitting mark with 27 kills on 53 attacks and seven errors.  Nicole Jacobson has 89 points, along with 68 kills (2.43 per set) on 201 attacks wwith 33 errors for a .174 hitting mark.  Senior Krista Goerger ranks 10th among setters in the league with 9.10 per set and her total of 273 in 30 sets is eighth.  In service aces, sophomore Nicole Jacobson ranks fourth in the NSIC with 054 per set and a total of 15 in 28 sets this year. Senior Marlee Schneider is ninth at 0.41 per set with nine aces in 22 sets. Krista Goerger ranks 13th in service aces at 0.37 per set with a total of 11   Senior TiaRose Nagami ranks 12th in digs with a team-bet 3.50 digs per set and a total of 98 across 28 sets.    

Looking Ahead 
After the first weekend of NSIC play, the Cougars will continue play in one of nation's top league as six teams are ranked in the top-25 of of the AVCA DII National Poll. USF will head to Wayne, Nebraska to take on the #5 Wayne State Wildcats on Tuesday, September 21 at 6 pm. From there, the Cougars will host the #16 Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs for their home opener on Friday, Sep. 24 at 6 pm in the Stewart Center. On Saturday, Sep. 25, USF will host #23 St. Cloud State at 2 pm in the Stewart Center.