Game Time...No.13 Northwestern plays host to Dakota State for a non-conference match-up Wednesday night at the Bultman Center. First serve scheduled at 7:30pm. Northwestern is 3-1 on the year while Dakota State is 0-4 so far this season. Follow the game live via the NWC webcast and/or at Sioux County Radio, 93.9FM. 

All-Time...The Red Raiders are perfect 16-0 all-time against Dakota State, dating back to the first ever match-up in 1989. Last season, NW defeated the Trojans in straight sets, 26-24, 25-22 and 25-19. 

Scouting Reports...

Dakota State: 0-4  Head Coach-Amy Veenhof

The Trojans are off to an 0-4 start to the 2017 season, losing all four matches to teams from the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) at the Red Raider Classic last weekend. Three of the four matches (Briar Cliff, Doane, Dordt) went three sets and the final match against Morningside went four. 

Coach Veenhof is in her ninth season as the head of the DSU volleyball program and returns one starter from a team that finished tied with Waldorf for sixth in the North Star League at 6-10, 12-21 overall. They were picked to finish sixth out of nine teams in the NSAA preseason coaches' poll.

Carly Rozell, the lone senior on this year's roster, is the top returner and is a three-time all-conference selection. Rozell is averaging a team-leading 2.6 kills per set and has five ace serves. Fellow outside hitter, Maddie Polzin, averages 2.2 kills per set and is hitting a team-best .194. Rachel Johnson and Kendra Steffen share the setting duties and guide a DSU attack that is hitting .066 this season.

No.13 Northwestern: 3-1  Head Coach-Kyle Van Den Bosch (13th year)

Northwestern finished its Classic with a 3-1 record, losing to No.9 Corban (Ore.) in a back-and-forth, five-setter. The Red Raiders earned a pair of 3-0 wins on the first day (Mayville State and Valley City State) and knocked off Waldorf in four sets.

Van Den Bosch begins his 13th season as the Red Raiders head coach , winning 77% of his matches during his tenure (341-103). He returns seven players, four starters, from a 2016 squad that finished fifth in the GPAC at 10-6, 18-17 overall. They earned votes in the final NAIA Coaches' poll. 

Lauryn Hilger, a 2016 NAIA All-American, returns as one of the starters and has earned all-conference honors as a middle hitter the last two years. Hilger switches to the outside this season and puts down 3.3 kills per set. A.J. Horstman, a second team all-conference pick last year, is on the right side this season and puts down 2.7 kills and 11 blocks. Newcomer Anna Kiel leads the Red Raiders in kills (4.2) and hitting percentage (.470) while freshman Josie Blankespoor leads the team with 18 blocks. Makenzie Fink (2.1 kills) rounds out the Red Raider hitters. Freshmen Lacey Wacker (12 assists per set) and Karsyn Winterfeld (16 aces, 3.3 digs/set) round out the rotation.