THE FIRST SERVE
The No. 5 Southwest Minnesota State University volleyball team will enter the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference / US Bank Tournament Tuesday after splitting the final two regular season games to St. Cloud State and No. 2 Minnesota Duluth. SMSU received the No. 4 seed and will host the No. 5 seed, Winona State (19-7) for the first round of the NSIC / US Bank Tournament. 

OPPONENT AT A GLANCE
WINONA STATE — Winona State will enter the NSIC / US Bank Tournament with an overall record of 19-7. The Warriors also split their last regular season games winning at U-Mary before losing in Minot, N.D., to Minot State last weekend. Danielle Rampart leads WSU with 385 kills this season. Kylea Roeglin paves the way with her .332 hitting percenatage while McKenna Larsen powers the offense with her 957 assists.

THE SERIES
Southwest Minnesota State and Winona State will meet for the 91st time and the 2nd of the season on Tuesday night with SMSU having a 60-29-1 record in a series that first started back in 1974. SMSU defeated WSU 3-0 earlier this season in Winona. Southwest Minnesota State is 24-12 while playing in the PE Gym and have lost just once in the last 15 years while at home. The Mustangs have won the last 10 matches and have only given up six sets in those matches. SMSU has matched up with WSU 21 times since 1974 in the post season; the last time they met was in 2006 with SMSU winning, 3-0.

NSIC TOURNAMENT
SMSU has made the NSIC Tournament for the last 10 consecutive years posting a 9-5 overall recorded in those matches. The last time the Mustangs won the NSIC Tournament was in 2012 where they defeated No. 24 Minnesota State, No. 5 Minnesota Duluth and No. 1 Concordia-St. Paul. Last season SMSU was knocked out of the NSIC Tournament after losing to No. 18 Wayne State (Neb.) in the first round of play.