The No. 25 Winona State volleyball team returns to McCown Gymnasium this weekend when it faces the Sioux Falls Cougars Friday night before hosting the No. 5 Southwest Minnesota State Mustangs for a 2 p.m. matchup on Saturday.

A LOOK AT THE COUGARS: Sioux Falls heads into McCown Gym in search of its first NSIC win of the season. The Cougars have had a grueling slate to start the conference season, as WSU will be its sixth ranked opponent in the last seven matches. USF is led by Makenna Rockeman, who has a team best 153 kills, good for a 2.89 kill per set clip. Jordan Calef is second on the team with 130 kills, while her .375 hitting percentage ranks seventh in the league. The Cougars have a trio of setters averaging more than three assists per set; Kayla Crane (4.89), Megan Hamstad (4.80) and Sydney Schaap (3.95).

A LOOK AT THE MUSTANGS: SMSU enters the weekend with a 10-3 record and are 3-2 in NSIC play. Ranked No. 5 in the latest AVCA poll, the defending D2 national runners-up are led by Abbey Thissen, whose 3.83 kills per set ranks sixth in the NSIC, and Sarah Parker, whose .353 hitting percentage is ninth best in the league. Megan Larson handles Mustang offense, and is fourth in the NSIC with 11.92 kills per set. 

THE BIG UPSET: The Warriors got the cliched monkey off their back, downing No. 3 Concordia-St. Paul 3-1 last Saturday afternoon in the Warriors' home opener. It was the first win over the Golden Bears in 25 tries dating back to Oct. 24, 2000.

FIRST TIME RANKING: The Warriors were rewarded for their win over Concordia with the program's first ever top 25 ranking when the latest AVCA Top 25 Poll was released Monday. The Warriors are ranked No. 22 in the poll, and remained in the poll for the second straight week, checking in at No. 25 this week.

MORE GOAR: Outside hitter Taylor Goar is in the midst of a strong sophomore campaign, leading the Warriors in kills (153) and kills per set (3.73). She's also gotten it done from the service line, compiling 18 aces in 41 sets for an NSIC-best .44 ace-per-game average.

HITTING DUO: Taylor Goar and opposite hitter Danielle Rampart continue to make up an impressive offensive tandem, as both rank in the top 10 in the NSIC in kills. Goar is seventh in the NSIC with 3.73 per game, while Rampart's 3.21 is 10th in the league.

A FIRST UNDER GETZIN: Winona State won their first match versus a ranked opponent during the Joe Getzin era. The Warriors knocked off No. 15 Palm Beach Atlantic 3-2 at the Concordia-St. Paul Tournament. WSU won the first two sets and finished off the Sailfish 15-5 in the final set to come away with the victory. It was Winona State's first win against a ranked opponent since the Warriors defeated No. 15 Wayne State on Oct. 19, 2013 in McCown Gymnasium. The Warriors added a second victory over a ranked opponent this season when it topped No. 3 Concordia-St. Paul at home.

BALANCED ATTACK: In the Warriors' season opening victory against Central Washington, five Warriors recorded double digit kills. Sophomore Danielle Rampart led the way with 19 kills, followed by sophomore Taylor Goar with 13, sophomore transfer Maria Fruechte with 11, and sophomores Lauren Kudronowicz and McKenna Larsen with 10.

TRIPLE DOUBLE: Larsen recorded her first career triple double against No. 15 Palm Beach Atlantic. The sophomore setter recorded 12 kills and 11 digs to go with her 44 assists. Her 12 kills is the most she's recorded in a single match since tallying 13 against Wisconsin-Parkside last season, her first match in her Winona State career.

SERVING UP THE RECORD BOOK: With six service aces against Concordia-St. Paul, Goar recorded the eighth-most service aces in a single match in Winona State program history. Goar tallied 10 service aces for the entire tournament, picking up where she left off last season after recording a team-high 32 service aces as a freshman. Goar currently leads all NSIC players in service aces per game with 0.77.