SIOUX FALLS, SD. -- After finishing the Augustana Invitational 2-2, the Vikings open up NSIC play on the road Thursday at Southwest Minnesota State and return to the Elmen Center Saturday to play the Cougars from the University of Sioux falls.

The Vikings are 5-3 on the season so far. The Vikings are sitting in the top ten with kills in the conference (398), also in the top ten for service aces averaged in a set (1.53), and digs (16.03) per set, and are averaging 1.93 blocks per set which also places them in the top ten in the NSIC.

Senior Courtney Place, who was apart of the Augustana All-Tournament team this past weekend, lands in the top five for kills in the NSIC, sitting in fourth place she has 129 on the season, averaging 4.30 kills per set. Place also landed among the top twenty in the conference in service aces, she has 10, giving her 0.33 per set.

Senior Kaylea Ahrens ranks in the top five in digs per set, sitting in 4th place Ahrens has 130 digs in 30 sets. which averages out to 4.33 digs per set.

Freshman Avery Thorson also landed among the top in the conference in assists, she has 314 on the season and is averaging 10.47 per set.

Redshirt Freshman Abby Benson has also landed on the top twenty in the conference with blocks, she has 23, averaging 0.82 per set.

Southwest Minnesota State, who are sitting just one spot ahead (8th) in the conference than the Vikings (9th) are also 5-3 thus far in the season. The Mustangs volleyball moved up one spot to No. 7 in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II Top-25 coaches' poll this week. Last week, SMSU dropped from its previous spot at No. 2 in the preseason poll, to No. 8.

At home the Mustangs have the record of 316-152 (.675 win percentage).

Southwest Minnesota State is led by Taylor Reiss who was selected AVCA DII National Player of the Year in the 2017 season, Reiss was also named NSIC Player of the Year and first team All-NSIC. Last season Reiss led the squad with 605 kills and closed the season hitting .305 on 1,513 attacks and was second on the team with 363 digs.

In the Mustangs most recent match in Kansas City, Mo. vs Concordia - St. Paul they were led by Reiss with 9 kills, Sarina Smith with 8, and Megan Schmidt with 6. Setter Emma Thomssen led the Mustangs with 26 assists. Leading with dig's was Kaylee Burmeister and Erin Corrigan with 9 and following behind those two was Taylor Reiss with 7.

The series record between the Vikings and Mustangs 28-29-1.

On Saturday Sept. 8 the Vikings return home for action vs the University of Sioux Falls.

The Cougars sit in 11th place in conference with a record of 5-3, as well. The Cougars have 416 kills compared their opponents 376. They also lead their opponents in assists (393), service aces (54) to the opponents (39), they also have less errors (39) than the opponents (54).

The University of Sioux Falls is led by Bria Barfnechts 3.19 kills per set. The Cougars are also led by Kassandra Springers 2.93 digs per set.

The Cougars participated in the Rockhurst Classic and finished with a record of 3-1. Sophomore Krista Goerger and senior Bria Barfnecht of the University of Sioux Falls were named to the Rockhurst Classic All-Tournament Team.

Goerger and Barfnecht led USF to a 3-1 record at the tournament, which tied host and No. 6 Rockhurst for the best mark. The Cougars, which closed the non conference part of their season at 5-3, defeated William Jewell (2-5), 3-0 (25-21, 25-16, 25-22) and Northwest Missouri State, 3-1 (25-22, 16-25, 25-20, 27-25) on Saturday. On Friday, they defeated Emporia State, 3-0 (25-11, 25-16, 25-14) and lost to No. 6 Rockhurst, 3-2 (18-25, 14-25, 25-23, 25-21, 10-15).

The series record between the Vikings and Cougars is 21-12. The Vikings have gone 11-1 at home vs the Cougars.