FULL RELEASE

This Week: The Marauders will head to North Carolina to participate in the Mount Olive Tournament. On Friday U-Mary will open the tournament with Armstrong Atlantic State University at 5 p.m. The Marauders will take on host  school Mount Olive at 1 p.m. on Saturday and wrap-up with The University of Alabama in Huntsville at 3 p.m.
 
Last Week: The Marauders went to Montana to participate in the Great Falls/Carroll College Holiday Inn Classic. On Friday U-Mary opened up the season against #25 Carroll College with a 3-0 loss and followed with 3-0 loss to Montana Tech. The Marauders bounced back against Great Falls on Saturday with a 3-1 victory, but fell 3-0 to MSU-Northern.
 
Game Coverage: There will be no live coverage for this weekend's action. Post game recaps and box scores will be posted at goumary.com
 
Social Media: Any updated information and results will be posted on U-Mary's Facebook page "Marauders Athletics" and on Twitter @umarysports.
 
Last year: the Marauders struggled last season in tournament play going 0-7 in their two tournaments.
 
Next Week: U-Mary will make their first home appearance as they host Northern State University in their NSIC opener on Sept. 19. The Marauders and Wolves will square off at 7 p.m. at the McDowell Activity Center. U-Mary last beat NSU on Oct. 24, 2007. On Sept. 21 U-Mary will head to Minnesota to take on MSU Moorhead. The Marauders have not beat the Dragons in 11 tries since joining the NSIC.
 
Veteran Leadership: The Marauders have a wealth of experience returning six starters and a total of 10 letterwinners. Of those 10 letterwinners U-Mary boasts a total of seven juniors and seniors. The Marauders seniors include DS Alicia Ewen, OH Allison Opp and S Emily Turkowski.
Captains: The Marauders announced that senior Emily Turkowski, junior Morgan Dake and sophomore Alexis Jacobs have been selected as U-Mary's 2013 team captains.
 
Fresh Faces: U-Mary has added five freshmen to their roster for the 2013 season. Rachel Astrup (MB, 6-0, Bozeman Mont./Bozeman HS), Alexandra Brown (Libero, 5-6, Minneapolis, Minn./Blaine HS), Janell Finkbeiner (S, 5-9, Ramsey, Minn./Elk River HS), Ashley Koppinger (OH, 5-7, Minot, N.D./Our Redeemer's HS) and Brianna Pernsteiner (MB, 6-1, Eagan Minn./Eagan HS) have all committed to play for the Marauders and will bolster the roster in 2013.
 
Setting the Table: Being the primary setter a year ago and averaging nearly eight assists/set, Emily Turkowski has some help this season as she has teamed with freshman Janell Finkbeiner to set the offense. Finkbeiner is averaging 5.23 assist/set and Turkowski 3.77. Both have been in double digits in all four games.
 
Adams: Allison Adams has come on strong early in the season hitting a team-high .390 a number that puts her among the league leaders. Adams is third on the team with 1.67 kills/set.
 
Jacobs: After a promising start to the 2012 season, Alexis Jacobs sustained a season-ending injury in the first weekend of the season. The redshirt freshman and Bismarck native will be a vital part of U-Mary's attack this season.
 
Dake Watch: With the announcement of the NSIC preseason coaches' poll, U-Mary junior outside hitter Morgan Dake was tabbed as the Marauders' player to watch. Dake started 19 of 23 games for U-Mary last season and led the team with a .204 hitting percentage. Dake finished fourth on the team with 117 kills and was third with 46 blocks. Six of those 46 blocks came in a career night against Winona State on Sept. 21. The junior from Bakersfield, Calif. last year was named to the NSIC All-Academic Team and was elected as U-Mary's Female Strength Athlete of the Year.
 
Block Party: The Marauders are second in the NSIC with 2.23 blocks/set. Paige Smith (0.77) and Lauren Boldt (0.74) are the driving force behind U-Mary's blocking attack.
 
Coaches Poll: Despite vast improvement last season and returning six starters, the Marauders enter 2013 picked to finish last. U-Mary finished ahead of both Minot State and Bemidji State for 13th place in the NSIC in 2012. With six-time defending champion Concordia-St. Paul picked to finish first for the 10th consecutive season, the NSIC looks to be among the top volleyball conferences in the country again this season.
 
D2ADA: Senior Allison Opp and 2013 graduate Morgan Zabel were 2012-13 recipients of the D2 Athletic Director Association (D2ADA) Academic Achievement Award. The program recognizes the academic accomplishments of student-athletes at the NCAA D2 level. In order for a student-athlete to receive the award, the student-athlete must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale, have attended a minimum of two years (four semesters) of college level work, and have been an active member of an intercollegiate team during his/her last academic year.
 
SCOUTING REPORTS
 
U-Mary: The Marauders (3-24, 3-17 NSIC) were picked 16th in the NSIC Pre-Season Coaches Poll, despite finishing 14th last season and returning six starters. The Marauders lose 2012 NSIC Player to Watch in libero Valerie Lesu. U-Mary has yet to play this year but will be anchored by an experienced corps of players highlighted by the U-Mary's NSIC Player to Watch, OH Morgan Dake. The Marauders are 1-3 so far this season with their lone win coming against Great Falls.
 
Armstrong Atlantic was picked to finish first in the 2013 preseason Peach Belt Conference poll of the league's coaches. The Pirates are the defending league champions from 2012. Senior outside hitter Jessica Santaniello and junior libero Stephanie Sfara were named to the preseason All-Peach Belt Conference volleyball squad. Armstrong Atlantic enters the weekend with a perfect 4-0 record.
 
Alabama in Huntsville was picked to finish in sixth place, according to the 2013 GSC Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll. UAH will look to Stacey Sargent for senior leadership this season, as the native of Huntsville, Ala., earned All-GSC Second Team honors in 2012. Haley Snyder, Ashton Baker and Kennedie Lariscy all highlight the key returnees for the Lady Chargers. After losing their first three games of the season, UAH has won the past two for 2-3 record on the season.
 
Mount Olive was picked sixth in the 2013 Conference Carolinas Women's Volleyball Preseason Poll. Mount Olive returns seven full- or part-time starters from last year, including two-time All-Conference Carolinas selection Carly White. The 6-4 senior middle blocker led the Trojans with 2.93 kills per set, 0.87 blocks per set and a .335 hitting percentage. Sophomore setter Nicole Karas. The Trojans are 0-4 on the season.

Follow U-Mary Athletics on 

Twitter: @umarysports

Facebook: Marauders Athletics