No. 7 Huskies look ahead to Bemidji State, Minnesota Crookston

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – No. 7 St. Cloud State Volleyball looks ahead to a home-and-home this week as the Huskies host Bemidji State on Thursday then journey north to Minnesota Crookston on Saturday. Thursday's homecoming match at Halenbeck Hall is set for a 6:00 p.m. CT first serve with Saturday's road tilt scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. CT in Crookston.

Broadcast Information
Both matches will be broadcast on the NSIC Network with Live Stats provided by the host schools. Thursday's match will also be carried on the KVSC Sports Stream. Fans can find links to each match on the SCSU Volleyball schedule page.

Last Time Out
Then-No. 6 St. Cloud State leaned on their returning All-Americans to down Minnesota State-Mankato in four sets on Saturday afternoon at the Taylor Center. Kenzie Foley, Linsey Rachel and Phebie Rossi combined for 46 of 57 SCSU kills as the Huskies outkilled MSU by 12. Foley sent down 20 kills on .265 hitting, adding seven digs, three aces and a block. Rachel double-doubled with 14 kills and 18 digs while hitting .281, scoring twice from the service line. Rossi terminated 12 kills at a .379 clip with a pair of blocks to stay red-hot in the middle. Sam Zimmerman took advantage of her swings with a 7-1-13 line, hitting .462 with two blocks. Keely Kurschner provided 17 digs on the defensive end while Emma Berran directed the offense with 43 assists.

Huskies Primer
SCSU slid down one spot to No. 7 in this week's AVCA Top-25 poll, remaining in the Top-10 for the ninth straight week. The Huskies have stumbled over their last six, going 3-3 and hitting .224. Efficiency has been a concern as St. Cloud State has recorded at least 20 attacking errors in each of their last seven matches after committing 20 or more just once in their first 14 matches. The Huskies are 15-0 when they take the first set and 2-4 when they start a match down a set.

Scouting Bemidji State
Bemidji State is 3-18 on the season and 2-11 in conference play while entering the week on a nine-match losing skid. The Beavers have hit better than .284 just once this season and are currently sporting a .128 attack percentage, leaning heavily on the offensive production provided by Hallie Mertz (2.66 K/S, 3.05 P/S). Freshman middle blocker Zeyda Priebe (1.17 K/S, .320) has stepped into a larger role as of late as setters Hally Holker (4.16 A/S) and Emily Wade (3.92 A/S) direct the offense. Annie Hopp (3.23 D/S) has shouldered much of the defensive duties for the Beavers down the stretch.

Scouting Minnesota Crookston
Just like their travel partner, Minnesota Crookston has gone 3-18 with a 2-11 record in conference play. The Golden Eagles are hitting .122 on the year and have posted an attack percentage higher than .170 just twice (.225 at BSU, .202 vs CSP). Audrey Cariveau (2.66 K/S, .107) and Mara Weisensel (2.20 K/S, .265) lead the offensive attack while Layne Whaley (3.44 D/S) anchors the defense.

Leading the Pack
Huskies can be found all over the NSIC leaderboards entering week nine. Phebie Rossi leads the NSIC in blocks/set (1.28) while landing fourth in hitting percentage (.371), seventh in points/set (4.03) and 14^th in kills/set (3.15). Kenzie Foley is second in both kills/set (4.10) and points/set (4.83) while ranking 12^th in aces/set (0.36). Emma Berran is third in assists/set (11.06). Linsey Rachel is eighth in kills/set (3.31), 14^th in points/set (3.68), 15^th in hitting percentage (.285) and 19^th in digs/set (3.15). Keely Kurschner lands seventh in aces/set (0.39) and ninth in digs/set (3.83) while Sam Zimmerman ranks 13^th in blocks/set (0.90) to round out the leaderboards.

Rachel's Record Watch
Graduate student outside hitter Linsey Rachel enters the weekend ranked third on the Huskies' all-time kills list with 1476 and fourth in digs with 1412. She is 20 kills away from passing Kathy Davis (88') for second all-time in program history. Rachel is the program's only two-time All-American honoree and is within striking distance of becoming the Huskies' first member of the 1500x1500 club (kills and digs).

Berran Pilots the Offense to New Heights
True freshman setter Emma Berran has directed the Huskies offense brilliantly in her debut season, ranking 10th nationally in assists/set with 11.06. Her offense ranks among the NCAA leaders in nearly every category. With 35 assists on Opening Night, Berran posted the most in a Huskies debut since Marissa Kline had 36 back in 2013.

Respect Rossi
Senior middle blocker Phebie Rossi leads the NSIC and ranks ninth nationally in blocks/set at 1.28. Over her last six matches, Rossi has powered the offense with 4.80 points and 3.72 kills per set on .395 hitting while adding 1.40 blocks/set. The Rapid City, South Dakota native is two block assists away from passing Angie Mayers (05') for fourth all-time, two total blocks away from moving into fifth and 13 away from moving into fourth.

Dynamic Defense
The Huskies own the fourth-best defense in the Northern Sun entering the weekend, holding opponents to a .164 hitting percentage and have allowed the third-lowest kills/set mark at 10.71. SCSU has allowed the second-fewest kills in the league at 771 and are fourth in blocks/set with 2.21.

Fear Foley
Junior outside hitter Kenzie Foley enters the weekend ranked 12^th nationally in points/set at 4.83 while putting away 4.10 kills/set, 20^th in the NCAA.

Home Sweet Halenbeck
St. Cloud State has gone 32-5 at Halenbeck Hall since 2019 and has won 35 of their last 40 home
matches dating back to the end of 2018.

Information regarding single game and season tickets can be found at scsutickets.com. For all the latest on St. Cloud State Volleyball, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

No. 7 Huskies look ahead to Bemidji State, Minnesota Crookston

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Players Mentioned

Emma Berran

Kenzie Foley

Keely Kurschner

Linsey Rachel

Phebie Rossi

Sam Zimmerman

Saint Cloud State University Athletics