Golden Eagle Quick Notes
 

• What a wild, wacky and fun weekend it was inside Lysaker Gymnasium this past weekend. Minnesota Crookston was able to find a way to win last Friday against Minot State, despite being down as much as six in the fourth set and six in the fifth and deciding set. It was their first conference win since 2019. The Golden Eagles then fell in five wild sets to the Marauders of UMary on Saturday. It was a fun weekend and the Golden Eagles will hope that it carries over to this weekend when they host nationally-ranked Southwest Minnesota State and Sioux Falls.

 

• Audrey Cariveau is already a star for the Golden Eagles. Ever since NSIC play started for the Golden Eagles, she has flipped a switch and has been the Golden Eagles best attacker. The Kevil, Kent., native has double-digit kills in every NSIC match, including a whopping 46 this past weekend in two matches. Carvieau was pretty much unstoppable against the Marauders. The freshman finished with 29 kills, a new school record, on 82 total attacks, also a school record. Cariveau was also efficient, hitting over .200 in back-to-back matches for the first time in her career, including a career-high .232 hitting percentage against the Marauders. Cariveau's future is very, very bright for both her and the Golden Eagles.

 

• Natalie Koke continued her strong play this weekend against both the Beavers and Marauders. The redshirt senior picked up 91 total assists in ten total sets this past weekend, including a career-high of 53 against UMary. Koke has also played exceptionally well in conference play, gathering assist totals of 38, 35, 38 and 53 in four conference matches. Koke is making her case as one of the better setters in the entire conference.

 

• We have talked about the duo of Mara Weisensel and Audrey Cariveau and how good they can be. Cariveau showed that this past weekend, as did the junior from New Ulm. Weisensel finished with a career-high 17 kills against the Beavers of Minot State in five sets and then followed that up with another career-high: 24 kills against UMary. Her career-high didn't last too long. Weisensel became the first middle blocker since Erin Flynn in 2006 to finish with 20 or more kills in a match. Weisensel was absolutely dominant this past weekend.

 

• Speaking of the dynamic duo, they achieved a program first on Saturday afternoon in Crookston. Weisensel and Cariveau became the first Golden Eagles to each have over 20 or more kills in the same match. It truly was a historic day for the Golden Eagles on Saturday in one of the most exhilarating and exciting matches in program history. Jordan and Pippen, Randy Moss and Cris Carter, Batman and Robin. Is it too early to entrench Weisensel and Cariveau on that list? Who's to say?

 

• Maria Jose Bustos Garcia has proven time and time again this season that she can be strong at the net. The Cartagena, Columbia native leads her team with 28 blocks, including 10 solo blocks, which also leads her team. The redshirt senior is just outside the top-20 in terms of blocks in the NSIC, but her presence at the net has been huge at times this season for the maroon and gold.

 

• This Friday night would be a great night for the Golden Eagles to end a long streak. It's been a while since the Golden Eagles have knocked off the Mustangs of Southwest Minnesota State. In fact, it's been 19 years since it has happened. The Golden Eagles knocked off the Mustangs in four sets in 2003, just their fifth meeting all time with the perennial power. Minnesota Crookston was close to knocking off the then No. 8 Mustangs in 2014 at home, but fell in five sets. The 2014 Mustangs eventually made the National Championship game, where they fell to Tampa in the title game. The Golden Eagles could end a pair of streaks dating back to 2003 (winless against SMSU) and 2011 (winless against ranked opponents).

How to Follow
Southwest Minn. State @ Minnesota Crookston
Friday, September 23
6 PM
Lysaker Gymnasium / Crookston, Minn.
Live Stats - https://goldeneaglesports.com/sidearmstats/wvball/media
Watch Live - https://nsicnetwork.com/goldeneaglesports/

Sioux Falls @ Minnesota Crookston
Sat. September 24
2 PM
Lysaker Gymnasium / Crookston, Minn.
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: 2-10

Southwest Minnesota State
Head Coach: Tyler Boddy (1st Season)
Record at SMSU: 11-1

Sioux Falls
Head Coach: Dan Matthews (2nd Season)
Record at USF: 24-15

#OPPONENTOUTLOOK

SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE. The Mustangs have dominated the series with the Golden Eagles, losing just once in 2003 and winning 27 straight. Although the Mustangs have a new coach in place in Tyler Boddy, SMSU continues to be dominant. The Mustangs are once again ranked in the top-10 nationally and have lost just once in 2022. One of many traditional powers that will make their way through Crookston this season.

SAME FACE, NEW TITLE. Although Tyler Boddy is new to this whole 'Head Coach' thing, he isn't new to how SMSU maneuvers. Boddy came to Southwest Minnesota State in 2012 and has held the assistant coach title since then. Boddy has seen a lot in his tenure, including a number of All-Americans, All-NSIC players, NSIC Championships and to cap it off, went to the NCAA Championship, where they fell to the University of Tampa. Boddy seems to be a Mustang through-and-through and so far in 2022, he has kept the Mustangs rolling.

PICK YOUR POISON. One of the things that makes the Mustangs so dangerous is the fact that they have attackers all over the floor. Through 12 matches this season, SMSU has four attackers with over 100 kills, led by Saari Kuehl (138 kills) and Emma VanHeel (126 kills), both of which rank inside the top 20 in the NSIC in total kills. Halle Jansen and Karli Arkell also have over 100 kills on the season. As a team, SMSU hits .268, which ranks fourth in the NSIC, behind St. Cloud State, Wayne State and Minnesota Duluth, all of which are ranked in the top ten.

JOHN STOCKTON? NOPE, ALISA BENGEN. Much like in basketball, having a good passer is an asset that not a ton of teams have. Thankfully for the Mustangs, they might have one of the best setters in the conference, if not the nation. Her and Regan Starkey of Concordia-St. Paul both could make the argument for one of the best setters nationally. The senior from Janesville, Iowa has had just two matches this season where she hasn't finished with 30 assists, including her last match against CSP, which was a loss. Bengen has put up otherworldly assist numbers this season: 62 against Missouri Western, 57 against Colorado Mesa, 53 against Minnesota State, 47 against Colorado School of Mines, 44 against Winona State, 41 against Drury and 35 against Upper Iowa. It could be a battle between two very good setters this Friday night.

UNIVERSITY OF SIOUX FALLS. Sioux Falls got off to a 1-3 start to open up 2022, but rattled off five wins in six matches to get to 7-4 heading into this weekend. Sioux Falls opened up with a pair of three-set victories against Upper Iowa and Winona State in NSIC Play. The Cougars are looking for their first NCAA tournament berth in their Division II era.

LINCOLN LEGENDARY. Much like the Mustangs, the Cougars have a number of attackers who can hurt an opponent. USF is led by Courtney Holsteen and her 117 kills. The freshman from Lincoln, Neb., has had no problem adjusting to college volleyball. Holsteen has five matches this season with double-digit kills, including a career-high 20 on 41 swings in a win against Montana State Billings. Much like the Golden Eagles do, it seems like the 'Coo have a freshman sensation in the front row.

VOSS THE BOSS. The Cougars have another freshman who has made a huge impact through 11 matches. Sadie Voss has made a huge impact, much like Holsteen, albeit in a different realm. Voss leads USF with 123 digs on the season and has six matches this season with 10 or more digs. Voss finished with a career-high 24 digs in her last match against Minnesota State. The Lakefield, Minn., native has been solid in the back row and has four service aces as well this season.

NET DOMINANCE. The Cougars are a solid team. They do a lot of things really well, including being strong at the net. The Cougars dominate their opponents, collecting almost 20 more blocks than their opponents and they have six players with more than 10 blocks on the season. In turn, they force their opponents to hit just .190 on the season. It will be a tough test for the Golden Eagles this Saturday.