BISMARCK, ND – There will be plenty of season firsts for the University of Mary Volleyball team this weekend as they host their first two home matches of the season as well as opening up NSIC play. UMary will host their first home match of the season against Southwest Minnesota State University on Friday, September 20 at 6 PM. They will follow that up with a match against University of Sioux Falls on Saturday, September 21 at 2 PM. Both matches will take place in the McDowell Activity Center.
 
The Marauders enter NSIC play with a 1-7 record. UMary refuses to go down without a fight. In the Marauders eight matches, three have gone to five sets, two have been four sets, and three have ended in three sets.
 
SMSU enters the match against UMary with a 6-2 record. In the most recent rankings, the Mustangs broke into the top 10, ranking #9 in the AVCA Coaches Poll. Similar to UMary, SMSU has had many competitive matches, with their last six going to four or five sets.
 
USF comes into the match against the Marauders with a dominant 8-0 record, sweeping opponents in their first seven matches of the season. Sioux Falls cracked the top 25 in the most recent poll, coming in at #24 in the nation.
 
Sydney Murphy is eight-for-eight in double-doubles this season. The Marauders setter is averaging 35 assists and 12.5 digs per match. Her 283 assists ranks her 47^th in the nation and seventh in the NSIC in total assists. She sits 11^th in the NSIC in assists/set with 8.84. Murphy has nine service aces on the season, second best on the team.
 
Morgan Schnabel has continued to be a force. The NSIC preseason Marauder to watch ranks fourth in the NSIC and 20^th in the nation in total kills with 114. Her 3.56 kills/set rank her eighth in the NSIC. Schnabel is averaging 14 kills and 11 digs per match, recording three double-doubles on the season. In the season opening tournament, Schnabel posted career highs in both kills (28) and digs (21).
 
Anna Nietfeld is second on the team in kills with 82, averaging 2.83 kills/set. The Marauders senior has a team high hitting percentage of .223. Nietfeld has four double-doubles in her seven matches, averaging 12 kills and 11 digs per match. In the season opening tournament, Nietfeld posted career highs in both kills (19) and digs (17).    
 
Natalia Cruz is leading the Marauders with 102 digs this season. She has also recorded a team high of 11 service aces. She ranks 13^th in total digs, 20^th in digs per set, and 10^th in total service aces in the NSIC.
 
Hannah Hanson leads the way for UMary in blocks with a total of 18. Schnabel has 13 and Julianna Hughes has nine.
 
Come out to the MAC and cheer on your Marauders this Friday and Saturday! If you can't make it to the match, tune into goumary.com/coverage for live stats and a live stream.
 
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