Television Coverage: Both matches will be streamed on NMTVSports.com.

http://www.pennatlantic.com/main.php?module=event-results&searchIt=yes&sport=101



Live Stats on the Web:  Live stats for NSIC matches will be available for fans all season long. 

NSIC Live Stats Matrix: http://goaugie.com/custompages/livecentral.htm

Twitter/Facebook:  Get all the updates of USF Athletics on Twitter and Facebook. Get in-game statistics and in-game updates on Twitter @USF_Athletics.  Find out about all Cougar Athletics promotions and events and also view photo albums and video interviews on Facebook (University of Sioux Falls Cougars).

LAST TIME OUT: The Cougars had a tough weekend road trip, as they fell to MSU-Moorhead on Friday (Sept. 28) in three sets (25-13, 25-15, 25-21) and ended the weekend with a 3-1 loss at Northern State (25-6, 18-25, 25-17, 25-19).

A LOOK AT THE WARRIORS: Winona State enters the weekend with a 15-2 overall record and 7-0 league mark…received 54 votes in the latest NCAA D-II poll.

GOING STREAKING: The Warriors have won 14 matches in a row, including wins against Saginaw Valley State, Illinois-Springfield and Saint Joseph's….WSU set a program record with its 13th consecutive victory, a sweep of Bemidji State on Sept. 8. The Warriors added to their streak with a 3-0 win over Minnesota, Crookston last Saturday. Winona State has not dropped a set in its last four matches and has not been swept yet this season.

WSU has only lost twice this season…Warriors dropped their season-opener (8/31) to Ashland University (Ohio), 3-1 and dropped a five setter at Truman State (9/1)…knocked off then No. 18 Wayne State on the road, 3-2…Dave Simon is in his fourth season at the helm of the Winona State volleyball program.

Winona State is currently hitting .208 as a team, ninth-best in the NSIC…the Warriors are one of the NSIC's best defensive teams, ranked first in opponent hitting percentage (.127) and seventh in the league in total blocks (130.5, 2.14/set). They are sixth in the league in kills (13.43/set), fourth in service aces (96, 1.57/set), seventh in assists (12.51/set) and ninth in digs (15.07/set).

GREAT WARRIORS: Senior middle blocker Kate Horihan has steered the Warriors' ship since their first match and owns the second best hitting clip (.382) in the NSIC. Horihan was named the NSIC Offensive Player of the Week after hitting .427 with 49 kills in victories against Upper Iowa, Mary and Minot State. Horihan is also the mayor of Turkey Town as she leads the squad with 44 total blocks (nine solo).

Bekah Saugen leads all Warriors in kills this season with 186, while Katie Froehle has 170 and Horihan checks in with 165.

TABLE SETTERS: The Warriors are unique in that Coach Simon utilizes a three setter rotation…Elena Kruesel owns 247 assists on the year, a team-best…Kaley Jacobson has dished 223 balls while Kayla Uhlenhake has 211 assists.

Senior defensive specialist Maggie Finkel leads the Warriors with 237 digs…Froehle has 193 digs and Saugen has also contributed 175 digs.

A LOOK AT THE PEACOCKS: Upper Iowa enters this weekend's competition with a 10-6 overall record and 4-3 league mark…the Peacocks are riding a two match win streak after posting back-to-back wins against Bemidji State (3-1) and Minnesota, Crookston (3-1).

UIU is hitting .192 as a team, good enough for 11th in the NSIC…holding opponents to an .180 attack clip… ranked 9th in the league at 12.73 kills per set…average 11.89 assists per set and 2.08 blocks.

The Peacocks are tops in the NSIC in digs per set at 17.39 (1,113 total) and boast four players with at least 100 scoops: sophomore defensive specialist Amanda Weiss (271), senior DS Danielle Gernes (209), sophomore outside hitter Hailey Brown (178) and junior outside hitter Melanie Behnke (110).

AT THE HELM: Minnesota native and former Concordia-St. Paul assistant coach Aaron Nelson is in his second season at Upper Iowa. His other coaching stints include St. Cloud State University, Morningside College, South Dakota State University, Northern Michigan University, the University of North Dakota and the University of Minnesota, Crookston. 

COUGAR UPDATE: USF boasts two of the best attackers in the NSIC… Samantha Lovell sits fourth in the league with a .373 hitting clip (136 kills/279 attempts/21 errors) and Sarah Kohler ranks seventh in the NSIC with a .355 attack percentage (136 kills/279 swings/37 errors).

USF's .255 team attack percentage is third-best in the NSIC…10th in kills per set (12.07)…the Cougars hold opponents to a .199 attack percentage…10th in the league in assists (11.7/set)…11th in blocks (1.86/set)…15th in digs (12.52/set).

Junior setter Alexa Reed is ranked 7th in the NSIC, at 9.86 assists per set.

ACE IN THE HOLE: The Cougars are ranked second in the league in service aces (102, 1.82 per set). Emily Johnson ranks second in the NSIC in aces per set (0.42). Her 55 aces is second only to Minot State's Emily Byrne (61).

DOUBLE TROUBLE: Chanda Goedken and Emily Johnson have each posted four double-doubles this season…Goedken now has 25 career double-doubles, while Johnson has notched 15 double dips.

IN THE NATION (As of 9/30/12): Where the Cougars rank nationally as a team: 69th in assists per set (11.7)...231st in digs per set (12.52)...115th in kills per set (12.07)...19th in hitting percentage (.255)... 119th in winning percentage (.563)...61st in aces per set (1.82)...101st in blocks per set (1.86)...Where Cougars rank individually in the nation:  Emily Johnson ranks 119th in aces per set (0.42)...Alexa Reed ranks 46th in assists per set (9.86)...Samantha Lovell ranks 96th in blocks per set (0.96) and 26th in hitting percentage (.373)…Sarah Kohler ranks 40th in hitting percentage (.355).

MORE ABOUT THE COUGARS: After finishing last year with a 15-27 record overall during the program's NCAA provisional season, the Cougars were picked 14th in the NSIC league preseason coaches' poll. The Cougars return starting outside hitters Chanda Goedken and Emily Johnson, while losing USF career all-time career blocks leader Alyssa Chambers. USF also lost libero Tashayla Person and setter Charlee Nelson, who is in the top 10 in USF record books for total assists in a season.

"Although we could forsee this kind of placement in our first season with the NSIC, we aren't going to place a lot of stock into a prediction of where the Cougars will finish this season before the competition begin," second-year head coach Joel McCartney said.

"I am sure the NSIC coaches had a very difficult time trying to figure out where the new programs would finish in a league where we have not yet played a match," he added.

RETURNING TOP STATS LEADERS: The Cougars welcomed back their top two attackers from 2011: sophomore outside hitter Emily Johnson (451 kills, 2.95 per set) and senior outside hitter Chanda Goedken (417 kills, 2.74 per set). Sophomore middle blocker Samantha Lovell was third on the team in 2011 with 2.07 kills per set and posted 121 total blocks, second only to Alyssa Chambers' 144 stuffs.