THE FIRST SERVE
The No. 2 Southwest Minnesota State volleyball team will look to get back on track after earning a 1-1 record last week. The Mustangs will head to the University of Sioux Falls on Tuesday to play the Cougars with the first serve at 7 p.m. from the Stewart Center.
 
OPPONENT AT A GLANCE
Sioux Falls will enter the contest 8-3 overall and 0-2 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play. The Cougars suffered a pair of losses last week to No. 8 Wayne State and No. 25 Augustana. USF finished the 2014 season 17-14 overall and 11-9 in loop play.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Southwest Minnesota State will meet with Sioux Falls for just the ninth time on Tuesday night with SMSU holding a 7-1 advantage in a series that started back in 1981. The Mustangs hold a 3-0 record in matches played in the Stewart Center. SMSU's lone loss came back in 2013 in five sets in Marshall.
 
RECAP: LAST WEEK
Last week SMSU started Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play and earned a 1-1 record. The Mustangs defeated No. 25 Augustana in four sets last Thursday but suffered a 3-0 loss to No. 8 Wayne State in their home opener Saturday.
 
HEAD COACH
Terry Culhane is in his 12th season at the helm of the Mustang volleyball team. During his tenure Culhane has directed the Mustangs to an overall record of 294-83, including 166-40 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference matches. Culhane has 11-consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, including seven appearances in the region semifinals and two region championship appearances along with the program's first ever-national championship appearance in 2014.
 
NEARING 300
Head coach Terry Culhane is nearing his 300th win in his 12th season as he has recorded 294 wins at SMSU and is only 14 wins behind program-record holder Deb Denbeck (1985-2002) who has tallied 308 wins in 17 seasons.