Volleyball hosts Minnesota-Duluth in spooktacular fashion

ST. CLOUD, MINN. – What would spooky season be without a little volleyball fun? In a match that could be as thrilling as Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and exciting as Hocus Pocus, the St. Cloud State University volleyball team will host Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) rival the University of Minnesota-Duluth in a Halloween showdown between nationally ranked foes.

The Huskies and Bulldogs have plenty to play for Thursday evening, as both are in a prime position to qualify for the NSIC Tournament in late November. Currently, Minnesota-Duluth sits alone at the top of the conference standings with an impressive 12-1 mark in NSIC play. St. Cloud State is not that far behind. Thanks to two wins over SMSU and Sioux Falls last weekend, the Huskies moved into a three-way tie for fourth in the conference standings with nationally-ranked Wayne State and Winona State, meaning a win could help solidify their place as one of the top teams in the NSIC.

Then, there's always the fight for bragging rights. Last season, St. Cloud State upended then #6 Minnesota-Duluth in straight starts, marking the first time the Huskies defeated the Bulldogs since 1985. Minnesota-Duluth would win the second meeting between the two teams, taking down St. Cloud State in straight sets in Duluth, Minnesota.

Fans who attend the match are encouraged to dress up in costume, as there will be a costume contest between the second and third set of the match. Live stats and video will be available for Thursday night's match, and score updates can be found on the team's official Twitter page (@SCSUhuskies_vb).

Here are the five things to know before Thursday's match:

3/11 – Thursday is going to be a showdown between two of the top teams in the nation, as both the Huskies and Bulldogs were ranked in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) top-25 poll this week. In the latest version of the poll, which was released Monday afternoon, Minnesota-Duluth was the #3 team in the nation, moving up two spots from #5. St. Cloud State also made a two-spot move, going from #13 to #11 in the latest version of the poll.

1996 – When was the last time both the Huskies and Bulldogs were ranked when facing each other? Why it was 1996 (so not quite 84 years…), when Friends, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Recess where actual shows airing on TV not Netflix.

1071/1072 – This may be two of the most evenly match St. Cloud State and Minnesota-Duluth volleyball teams in the history of the rivalry. The two teams are within spitting distance of each other statistically, as they rank in the top-5 in the NSIC in nearly every category. Entering Thursday's match, the Huskies have totaled 1071 kills on 998 assists for an average of 14.5 kills/set. The Bulldogs have been equally as impressive, racking up 1072 kills on 1004 assists for an average of 15.1 kills/set in 2019.

19.4 – Where does St. Cloud State have the upper hand? Defensively of course. The Huskies have been one of the most defensively efficient teams, not just in the NSIC, but in the nation as well. This season, St. Cloud State has tallied an impressive 1438 digs, averaging 19.4 digs/set. That number current ranks ninth in Divison II and leads the NSIC.

15.11/14.14 – Now for the flip side: where does Minnesota-Duluth have an advantage? Well, that would be offensively. The Bulldogs lead the NSIC and the nation in both kills/set (15.11) and assists/set (14.14) average, making them one of the most efficient hitting teams in the NSIC. Leading the offensive charge for Minnesota-Duluth is junior outside Kate Berg, who is averaging an impressive 4.28 kills per set this season while hitting .253.

Bonus number:

2/5 – This match won't just feature two of the top teams in the NSIC. It will also feature two of the top setters, who just so happen to be sisters. Junior setter Maddy Torve (Loretto, Minn. / Heritage Christian Academy) pilots the offense for the Huskies, while her sister, Emily (Torve) Balts runs the show for the Bulldogs. Currently, Balts ranks second in the nation in assists/set average at 12.24, while Torve right on her heals in fifth with an 11.96 assists/set average after this past weekend.

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Players Mentioned

Maddy Torve

Saint Cloud State University Athletics