Golden Eagle Quick Notes

• After a tough travel weekend, which saw the Golden Eagles travel through a number of different states to Augustana (South Dakota) and Wayne State College (Nebraska), the Golden Eagles were back on the road on Tuesday evening. This time, however, they were able to stay in their home state. The Golden Eagles traveled 80 miles down Highway-2 to Bemidji State. Minnesota Crookston knocked off the Beavers in four sets for the first time since Halloween of 2017, which was a maroon and gold sweep. It was a great start to homecoming for the Golden Eagles.

 

• Ever since breaking the school record with 29 kills in a match against UMary earlier this year, teams have started to send extra blockers the way of freshman Audrey Cariveau. In the four previous matches after her outstanding day against the Marauders, Cariveau has had a tough time figuring out how to beat the extra attention she has been getting. That ended on Tuesday. Cariveau finished with 16 kills, the third highest of her career on 45 swings, which is tied for the third-most in her career. Cariveau was also efficient, hitting .222 in the match, which was the second highest in her career. Minnesota Crookston is so much better when the Kevil, Kent., native is swinging it well and she will hope to continue that this weekend against the Mavericks and Golden Bears.

 

• The resiliency from the Golden Eagles this season has been remarkable. Minnesota Crookston continued that impressive fight on Tuesday. The match with the Beavers was back-and-forth for a majority of the night, but the Golden Eagles would continue to make plays in the four-set win. One of the more impressive things came in the fourth set. The Beavers thought they had set point after a lengthy review, but Head Coach Nick Meseck disputed it, which then caused another lengthy review by both referees. That review got the Golden Eagles the point and Minnesota Crookston was able to win the set, 29-27 and the match, three sets to one. Following a tough road trip to Sioux Falls and Wayne, the fight that the Golden Eagles showed on Tuesday was great. Time for "Gritty, Not Pretty" to make a comeback?

 

• Minnesota Crookston will look to kick-off Homecoming Friday with a win over Minnesota State. Since the first time these two programs met all the way back in 2002, the Mavericks have won 17 out of the 21 meetings and have not lost since 2016. Since 2016, MSU has won the past seven matches, including a match on a neutral floor. The Golden Eagles will look to turn the tide on a Mavericks squad who is 4-13 on the season.

 

• Besides the efficient play from Cariveau, the Golden Eagles needed someone else to step up and be efficient on Tuesday night. As it turned out, Bailey Schaefer was that someone. The sophomore from Brandon, Minn., arguably played her best match of the season, finishing with 15 kills (season-high) on 36 total attacks. That .222 attacking percentage was the second-highest of the season for Schaefer. With 13 digs as well, Schaefer collected her fifth double-double of the season, which is already a career-high for her. When Schaefer is also hitting the ball well, it makes the Golden Eagles a dangerous offensive team.

 

• The catalyst for both Cariveau and Schaefer could be attested to the play of Natalie Koke. Against the Beavers, the redshirt senior finished with 40 assists, her most in a match since the five-set loss against UMary. Koke also finished with seven digs, four kills and a service ace. After struggling the previous two weekends, it seems as though Koke is back on track. She will need to be good again this weekend against Minnesota State and No. 3 Concordia-St. Paul.

 

• Mara Weisensel looked unstoppable on Tuesday night. We already mentioned Schaefer and Cariveau, but we'd be remiss not to mention the junior from New Ulm. Weisensel hit a career-high .526 in the match and also finished with four blocks. Weisensel's breakout season continued on Tuesday.

Series Quick Look (Minnesota State)

Overall          22nd Meeting
UMC Record 4-17
First Meeting 11/10/2002 (L, 0-3)
Last Meeting 10/8/2021 (L, 0-3)


Series Quick Look (CSP)
Overall 32nd Meeting
UMC Record 0-31
First Meeting 9/22/2001 (L, 0-3)
Last Meeting 10/9/2021 (L, 0-3) 


How to Follow
Minnesota State @ Minnesota Crookston
Friday, Oct. 7
6 PM
Crookston, Minn. / Lysaker Gymnasium
Live Stats - https://goldeneaglesports.com/sidearmstats/wvball/media
Watch Live - https://nsicnetwork.com/goldeneaglesports/

No. 3 Concordia-St. Paul @ Minnesota Crookston
Sat., Oct. 8
2 PM
Crookston, Minn. / Lysaker Gymnasium
Live Stats - https://goldeneaglesports.com/sidearmstats/wvball/media
Watch Live - https://nsicnetwork.com/goldeneaglesports/


Minnesota Crookston
Interim Head Coach: Nick Meseck (1st Season)
Record at Minnesota Crookston: 3-14

Minnesota State
Head Coach: Corey Phelps (2nd Season)
Record at Minnesota State: 18-27

Concordia-St. Paul
Head Coach: Brady Starkey (20th Season)
Record at CSP: 589-77

#OPPONENTOUTLOOK

MINNESOTA STATE. After winning 14 matches a season ago, the Mavericks have struggled through the early and midway parts of 2022. MSU will enter Crookston 4-13 and 3-6 in the NSIC. The Mavericks were swept at home on Tuesday night at the hands of No. 3 Concordia-St. Paul and will look to rebound this weekend as they make their way up North for a pair of matches with Minnesota Crookston and Bemidji State.

SOPHIE'S CHOICE. Sophie Tietz has been the go-to offensive attacker this season. The junior from Watertown, S.D., leads her team in kills and kills per set on the season, as well as points scored with just under 175. Tietz has just five matches this season with over 10 kills, but she has been efficient this season when she has gotten her chances. Expect a lot of swings for #1 this weekend in Crookston.

KD18. Kiya Durant has been another solid piece for the Mavericks this season. The sophomore from Plymouth, Minn., is one of three Mavericks with more than 100 kills, sitting at 119 on the season. Durant has just three matches with double-digit kill totals this season, but has ten matches with five or more kills this season. Durant also has 67 total blocks on the season, which leads her team by a wide margin.

DON'T LET THE BALL HIT THE FLOOR. Brenna Hesse has been really solid in the back row this season for the Mavs. The senior from the land of 10,000 lakes leads her team in digs and started out the season with seven straight matches with 10 or more digs. Since that red-hot start to the season, the Farmington native has just one such match, but she is still dynamic in the back and doesn't let many balls find the floor.

CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL. The Golden Bears are the Gold(en) standard in NCAA Division II Volleyball. CSP has won nine NCAA Championships, all coming in the Brady Starkey era. The first title came back in 2007, while the last came ten years later in 2017. The Golden Bears achieved a feat that might not ever be broken: 7-straight NCAA Division II Volleyball Championships, an NCAA (all divisions) record & 4th longest Div. II women's championship streak (any sport). Head Coach Brady Starkey also has the highest winning percentage in all of NCAA Volleyball. So far this season, it's been same old, same old for CSP. The Golden Bears make their way to Crookston, currently ranked No. 3 in the nation and 15-2 on the season, with both of their losses coming to the No. 1 team in the nation, Wayne State College.

UP THE HILL. Only a junior, Jasmine Mulvihill has already had a highly decorated career as a Golden Bear. The native of Lakeville, Minn., was named the AVCA DII Freshman of the year in 2019 and was named to the AVCA All-American honorable mention last season. In 2022, Mulvihill was named the NSIC Preseason Player of the Year and has already been named NSIC Player of the Week three different times this season, as well as AVCA National Player of the Week. Mulvihill leads her team with 257 kills and 4.59 kills per set, which also lead the NSIC. There has only been two times this season that Mulvihill was held to less than 10 kills. There is a reason that the junior is considered as one of the best players in the nation.

ASSIST MASTER.  A big reason for the success of Mulvihill has been underclassmen Teagan Starkey. The sophomore and daughter of head coach Brady Starkey is unbelievable at the setter position. The former teammate of Mulvihill in high school has put up gaudy numbers this season. Starkey leads the NSIC in assists per set with just under 13 per game and probably would lead the conference in total assists, but she has played a whopping 17 sets less than Rachel Walker of Wayne State, who is the current leader. Take a look at some of the assist totals from Starkey this season: 62 vs Western Washington, 59 vs Drury, 55 vs Lewis, 50 vs Oklahoma Baptist and 46 vs Northern State. Put it this way, there have only been two matches this season where Starkey has gotten less than 30 assists and those were both three-set sweeps over Minot State and UMary. The Golden Bears are set with Starkey as their setter.

STRENGTH AT THE NET.  With the help of Mulvihill and her outworldly .291 hitting percentage on just under 600 total attacks, the Golden Bears are a very efficient team. CSP outhits their opponents by over .100 and have nearly 100 more attacking opportunities than their opponents. The balance is key for a team with a star like Mulvihill, because it allows them to go other ways, should Mulvihill have a rare off-night.