WINONA, Minn. – Winona State University hosts Minnesota State Mankato to begin NSIC play Thursday night in McCown Gymnasium. First serve between the Warriors and Mavericks is slated for 6 p.m.
Following Thursday's match, Winona State travels to St. Paul, Minnesota to take on No. 2 Concordia University on Saturday. Game time against the defending NCAA DII National Champions is set for 5 p.m.
Winona State enters Thursday with a 3-5 record against Mankato who is 7-1 on the young season. CSP is off to a 6-2 start this year.
NOTES
AVCA POLL: The Warriors have been a staple in the AVCA Top 25 for the past two seasons. Winona State opened the 2018 campaign ranked No. 17 and continued to receive votes in the Week 1 Poll. WSU found itself in an unfamiliar position with the release of the Week 2 Poll – no longer receiving votes. However, the Warriors will have plenty of chances to prove themselves among the best in the country with 11 more matches scheduled against teams currently ranked or receiving votes.
NO DAYS OFF: With the release of the 2018 schedule, Winona State had 15 of its 28 matches slated against teams ranked or receiving votes in the AVCA Preseason Poll, including nine of its first 15 opponents. After a pair of four-match tournaments to open the season that sent the Warriors to Michigan and Indiana, WSU now plays three NSIC matches in six days beginning Thursday, including Sunday's trip to face the defending NCAA DII National Champion – Concordia Golden Bears.
20/20/20 VISION: With a 21-8 record in 2017, the Warriors successfully reached the 20-win plateau for the third consecutive season under head coach Joe Getzin. That marked just the second time in program history the milestone had been reached in three straight years (1986-88). In the program's 44-year history, the Warriors have never strung together four consecutive seasons of at least 20 wins.
INJURY BUG: The Warriors have been without the service of a trio of integral players thus far this season. Seniors Jordan Runge and Maria Wrage, and sophomore Kate Masberg have yet to see game action this season after suffering preseason injuries. That group of players 39 percent (615 total) of WSU's kills last year and 68 percent (104 total) of the Warriors' blocks. Also of note is the return of senior Taylor Goar from an injury that cost her the 2017 season. Last week, Goar moved into 10th place all-time in program history for kills (1,071).
BLOCK PARTY: Through eight matches, Winona State ranks third in the NSIC in total blocks (65) and fourth in blocks/set (2.17). Senior Sophie Wilker leads the Warriors at the net with 32 total blocks followed by freshman Madison Rizner (27).
SOPHOMORE STANDOUT: After recording just 17 kills in limited action as a freshman, Megan Flom has burst onto the scene in 2018. The sophomore leads WSU with 105 kills this season and ranks sixth in the NSIC in kills/set (3.62). Flom recorded a career-best 25 kills in the Warriors comeback win over Harding which ranks ninth-most in program history in a single match.
SETTING THE BAR HIGH: Sophomore setter Bre Maloney entered the season with big shoes to fill – replacing two-time All-American setter McKenna Larsen. Maloney hasn't missed a beat though as the new starting setting, having recorded a double-double in assists and digs in four straight matches entering Thursday. She totaled a career-best 50 assists against Harding and leads the team with a .358 hitting percentage (47 kills).
SCOUTING MANKATO: Coming off a 15-13 campaign in 2017, the Mavericks are out to a hot start in the win column this year. Mankato ranks second in the NSIC in team hitting percentage (.315) and aces/set (1.89), and third in kills/set (14.56). Junior Morgan Olson leads the way with 20 blocks, 122 kills and a .459 hitting percentage. Sophomore Mara Quam has a team-best 14 service aces and 118 digs. The Warriors have won four of their last six meetings with the Mavericks.
SCOUTING CSP: The defending national champions after off to a 6-2 start this season and will travel to (RV) Upper Iowa Thursday before hosting the Warriors on Saturday. The Golden Bears own straight-set wins over Central Missouri and SMSU. CSP was swept earlier this year to then-No. 21 Ferris State and dropped a five-set match to unranked Texas A&M-Commerce. The Golden Bears rank second in the NSIC in kills/set (15.07) behind Brooklyn Lewis' 4.21 kills/set. Elizabeth Mohr leads the NSIC with 13.04 assists/set and Tori Hanson has a league-best 5.21 digs/set. Winona State is seeking its first win over CSP since a five-set victory on September 19, 2015.
