OMAHA, Neb. - The Mavericks open the second week of Summit League play on the road as they head up north to face North Dakota and North Dakota State.

Weekend Slate

• Thursday, September 28, Omaha at North Dakota at 7 p.m.
• Saturday, September 30, Omaha at North Dakota State at 6 p.m.

Quick Hits

• Omaha began Summit League play by going 1-1 last week, losing in five sets to Kansas City before topping the reigning conference champion South Dakota 3-1.
• McKenna Ruch and Amanda Hardt became the first Mavericks to top 100 kills this season. Ruch had back-to-back double-digit kill performances last week to bring her season total to 107, while Hardt currently has 102 after setting a new season-high with 15 kills vs. Kansas City.
• Shayla McCormick recorded a double-double in both matches last week, picking up 16 kills and 10 digs vs. Kansas City and 12 kills and 13 digs vs. South Dakota. She is just five kills away from reaching 100 on the season and has already topped 100 digs with 107.
• After getting a career-best nine kills vs. Wichita State on September 15, Brynlee Arnold has since recorded nine kills in every match. 
• Rachel Fairbanks was the hero of Saturday's win over South Dakota, scoring the match-winning kill and leading the team in kills (14) and digs (13) to earn her first double-double since September 11, 2021 at Creighton. In her fifth season in Omaha, Fairbanks is now on the verge of topping 500 career kills (currently 484) and 500 career digs (currently 438). 
• Erica Fava set a new season-best with 16 digs vs. Kansas City and enters the week with 98 on the year.

Scouting North Dakota
The Fighting Hawks are one of four teams currently tied for third in the Summit League at 1-1 in the conference after falling 3-0 to Denver and beating Oral Roberts 3-2 last week. 

Fighting Hawks To Watch
2022 Summit League All-Freshman selection Paige Barber paces the Bison with 131 kills and 2.52 K/S, recording a season-high 15 kills in their win over ORU last week.

Graduate student Elizabeth Norris and freshman Teagan Timperley are splitting UND's setting duties, with the veteran owning 266 assists and 13 service aces, while the rookie owns 192 assists and a team-high 18 aces.

Defensively, Lauren Perugini and Izzie McCormick are tied on digs at 119 each, though, McCormick holds the edge in digs/set at 3.13 vs. 2.70.

Series History
Omaha holds the all-time series lead at 52-13. The Mavericks swept the season series last year and have won 10 in a row vs. the Fighting Hawks.


Scouting North Dakota State
Also 1-1 in conference play so far, the Bison were the opposite of the Fighting Hawks in opening week, defeating Oral Roberts 3-1 but losing 3-0 to Denver.

Bison To Watch
2022 First Team All-Summit honoree Ali Hinze is once again leading the way for the Bison, owning a team-high 161 kills. She is also second in digs with 144, one behind Taylor Quan for the team lead. Hinze's 12 service aces are third overall as well, with Quan again leading the team with 15.

Freshman Arianna Blohm has made an immediate impact in the middle, leading NDSU with 55 total blocks, including nine block solos. She also has 69 kills and 12 service aces.

Series History
The Mavericks are 51-44 vs. the Bison, going 2-1 last year including a 3-1 win in the Summit League Tournament semifinals.