University of Mary (5-4) is scheduled to open conference play with No. 10 Northern State (7-1) at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 16 in Aberdeen, S.D., … Mary will play its second Northern Sun match of the week against Minnesota State University Moorhead (5-3) at 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17 in the McDowell Activity Center in Bismarck, N.D., it will be Mary's home opener.
 
The Schedule
Thursday, Sept. 15
7 p.m. Mary (5-4) vs. No. 10 Northern State (7-1) Live Stats Live Audio Live Video
 
Saturday, Sept. 17
5 p.m. Minnesota State University Moorhead (5-3) vs. Mary (5-4) Live Stats Live Video  
 
Scouting NSU
The No. 10 ranked team according to the AVCA Division II Coaches Top 25 Poll, NSU is 7-1 this season with a top-five win over Western Washington. The Wolves lost to the No. 1 ranked team in Concordia-St. Paul in three sets a few matches ago but will enter conference play on a four-match winning streak. Through eight games the Wolves have an attacking percentage of .265 and that's due to the fact that four NSU student-athletes have an overall hitting percentage of at least .275. Junior outside hitter Holly Vancura (.283 hitting percentage) leads the team with 96 kills and 97 digs. Senior Tori Biach (.438 hitting percentage) leads the team in total blocks with 27 and through eight matches has 78 kills.
 
Scouting MSUM
The Dragons are 5-3 this season and are coming off a loss to Northern Michigan. MSUM is scoring its most points in the first set of matches but as the match goes on the Dragons decrease in scoring. Junior outside hitter Carly Masloski leads MSUM with 103 kills and a team-high 3.22 kills/set with a .176 hitting percentage. Sarah Hagler, a redshirt freshman middle blocker leads the Dragons with 29 total blocks and has 91 kills on the season.
 
The Libero
So far this season, senior Alex Brown has accumulated 146 digs averaging 4.42 digs per set. Brown is fourth in the NSIC in digs and eighth in digs per set. She had a season-high 23 digs against Missouri Western on Sept. 2 and Northwestern Oklahoma State on Sept. 10.
 
'Double-Double' Machine
Junior outside hitter Lauren Randall has recorded five 'double-doubles' this season. She has finished with back-to-back 'double-doubles' in the Marauders last two matches. Her most impressive 'double-double' stat line of the season came last match against Black Hills State when she finished with 21 kills and 28 digs. On the year Randall has 138 kills and a team-high 4.83 kills per set. Randall is second in the NSIC in kills.
 
Setting Them Up   
This season senior setter Janell Finkbeiner has 244 assists in nine matches averaging 7.39 assists per set. In Mary's previous four matches the Ramsey, Minn., native has increased her assist total from each match. Including a season-high 49 assists against BHSU on Sept. 10.
 
Up Next
The Marauders will host its next three NSIC opponents starting on Tuesday, Sept. 20 when Minot State comes to town. After that Southwest Minnesota State makes an appearance in the McDowell Activity Center on Friday, Sept. 23 and on Saturday, Sept. 24 the University of Sioux Falls is the opponent to round out the week.

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