The Southwest Minnesota State University volleyball team will look to end its two-match skid at home this weekend versus Bemidji State and Minnesota Crookston. Friday is the third annual "Red Out" presented by the Minnesota National Guard. Fans are encouraged to wear red to the annual event as a way to raise awareness of heart disease. The first 500 fans to Friday night's match will receive a free "Red Out" t-shirt courtesy of the Minnesota National Guard.
SCOUTING REPORT
BEMIDJI STATE -- The Beavers currently ride a 7-match losing skid dating back to Sept. 28 when they defeated Upper Iowa in five sets. The Beavers are just 5-15 overall and 1-11 in the NSIC. SMSU will put its 18-match winning streak over the Beavers on the line on Friday. Wayne Chadwick enters his fourth season at the helm of the Beaver volleyball program.
MINNESOTA CROOKSTON --The Golden Eagles own a winning record thus far in 2013 posting an 11-9 overall record to go along with their even 6-6 conference record. The Golden Eagles have put together a three-match winning streak with wins over Minot State, U-Mary and Bemidji State. Brittany Looker leads the offensive attack with her 270 kills and 3.70 kill per set average. Lee Anderson is in his seventh season as head coach.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
7
Southwest Minnesota State swept seven straight opponents and extend its consecutive set winning streak to 22 before seeing both streaks come to an end on Saturday at No. 1 Concordia-St. Paul. The record was 20 straight set victories and six straight sweeps set by both the 2009 and 2012 teams.
11
Southwest Minnesota State put together an 11-match winning streak before falling to No. 1 Concordia-St. Paul on Saturday. The streak was third longest in school history. The 2012 team set the school-record by winning 19 straight matches. The winning streak stretched from Sept. 15 to Nov. 9 and shattered the previous program record which was 12 set by the 2008 squad.
6
Southwest Minnesota State is currently ranked No. 6 in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II Top 25 Poll. It is the third consecutive week that the Mustangs have earned the No. 6 ranking.
30
The amount of wins that SMSU gathered last season -- the most by a Mustang volleyball team since joining the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference and NCAA Division II in 1995.
31
Senior libero
Rachel Westby set a new career-high with 31 digs on Sept. 28 versus MSU Moorhead. It marks the fourth time this season that Westby has either tied or broken her previous career-high of 28.
62
Senior liber
Rachel Westby forfeited her libero jersey and took over setter duties for the injured
Emilee Gutzmer on Oct. 22 versus Sioux Falls. The Marshall, Minn., native filled in remarkably as she tallied a team-high 62 assists this season. Westby, who's natural position is libero and was recruited as such, has played every position except for middle blocker in her four-year career at SMSU.
100
The Southwest Minnesota State University volleyball team earned its 100th consecutive appearance in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II Top 25 Poll as the Mustangs idled at No. 6 for the third straight week in this week's edition of the poll. The Mustangs went 1-1 this weekend with a sweep over Minnesota State before falling to No. 1 Concordia-St. Paul in straight sets.
250
Terry Culhane captured his 250th career victory on Oct. 12 versus Upper Iowa. In ten season Culhane owns a career record of 251-68. Culhane is approaching Jeri Madden's mark of 254 wins. Jeri Madden (1971-85), SMSU's first head coach in program history, finished her coaching career with an overall record of 254-204. Culhane has averaged just over 24 wins per season during his 10 years at the helm.
