BISMARCK, ND – The University of Mary volleyball team is preparing for another test on the road this weekend. On Friday, Oct. 14, at 6 pm, the Marauders (3-16, 2-9 NSIC) will square off against Wayne State College (21-0, 11-0 NSIC), the #1 ranked team in the AVCA DII poll. The Marauders will then head back up north for a 5 pm showdown with Augustana University (13-6, 5-6 NSIC) on Saturday, Oct. 15.

LAST TIME OUT
UMary suffered two defeats to the University of Sioux Falls and #7 Southwest Minnesota State University on October 7 and 8. Robi Binagi and Nehkyah Ellis led the attack for the Marauders with 16 kills each through the two matchups. McKenna Kirkpatrick also looked solid for the Marauders garnering four ace serves and eight total blocks on the weekend. Maddy Freed dished out 52 assists throughout the weekend.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Kaia Sueker remains a standout libero for UMary as the sophomore from Marshall, MN ranks 2^nd in the NSIC with 294 digs, averaging 4.59 per set. Sueker is also tied for 2^nd on the team with 14 aces from the service line.
Nehkyah Ellis is still among the stat leaders in multiple categories for the Marauders. The senior from Central Point, OR, leads the Marauders with 156 kills, leads with 16 aces, and is 2^nd to Sueker in digs with 211.

Maddie Cooper and Reyna Isenbart both passed the century-mark for kills last weekend and are tied for the 2^nd-highest total for the Marauders with 109. Cooper, a sophomore from Fargo, ND, leads the team with 52 total blocks. Isenbart, a junior from Stratton, CO, is 2^nd to Cooper in blocks with 37.

Maddy Freed leads the Marauders with 287 assists. The lone freshman from Lawrence, KS, has registered at least 18 assists in the past 8 straight games.

Keep an eye on Robi Binagi and McKenna Kirkpatrick as both are coming off solid weekends in the MAC. Binagi, a sophomore from Pewaukee, WI, had a season-high 11 kills and 10 digs in a double-double performance against #7 SMSU. Kirkpatrick, a sophomore from Chapman, KS, was a force at the net against SMSU with 7 blocks and is tied with Sueker for 2^nd on the team with 14 aces.

THE OPPOSITION
Wayne State College returns home to Rice Auditorium this weekend unbeaten and as the #1 ranked team in the AVCA DII poll for the fourth straight week. The Wildcats are led by two standout attackers in Taya Beller (280 kills, 4.06 per set) and Kelsie Cada (245, 3.55 per set) who both rank in the top five in the NSIC for kills. Beller also wields a very impressive hitting percentage at 0.437%, which stands 2^nd in the Northern Sun. Maggie Brahmer also ranks 2^nd in the conference with 86 total blocks, averaging 1.25 per set.

Augustana University returns to the Elmen Center standing 13-6 overall and 5-6 in the NSIC. The Vikings also have an impressive libero keeping plays alive defensively as Erika Bute leads the Northern Sun with 343 digs, averaging 4.97 a set. Kate Reimann and Maddy Guetter lead the attack with 225 and 215 kills respectively. Avery Thorson paces the Vikings with an impressive 666 assists, averaging 9.94 per set.

THE STAFF
Abby Pollart is in her second season as head coach of the University of Mary volleyball team. Pollart returned to UMary in 2021 after serving as an assistant coach from 2018-19. Pollart returned with head coaching experience after a successful stint at Central Community College (CCC) in Columbus, NE, from 2019-21. Pollart also has previous coaching experience with Concordia University (NE) and South Dakota School of Mines & Technology.

Also returning for her second season as an assistant coach is Bree Ackerman. Ackerman was a standout libero/defensive specialist for the Wayne State College Wildcats where she was three-time NSIC All-Academic. Jeni Walsh also returns for her third season as an assistant coach for the Marauders. Walsh also serves UMary as the Assistant Director of Athletics for Student Success and Senior Woman Administrator. Tara Callahan enters her first year as an assistant coach, previously playing collegiately under Pollart at Concordia University where Callahan was a standout setter, ranking second in career assists. Nate Nguyen also returns for another year as an assistant coach for the Marauders.

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