Setting up to be a big weekend

If you thought losing Jennifer Lopez to injury would spell the end of NDSU volleyball's season success, think again. Lopez's replacement, redshirt freshman Jordan Kissman, has stepped in nicely. So nicely in fact, that she was named Summit League Offensive Player of the Week for her performance in wins over Oral Roberts and Centenary.

This should help the Bison as they host Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne and Oakland this weekend at the Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse. Kissman, who is a transfer from Georgia Tech, did not experience the heartbreaking loss that NDSU suffered at the hands of IPFW last year. The rest of her teammates do and will be looking to serve some revenge to the Mastodons.

IPFW is 7-8 on the year, 3-2 in conference play and will be looking to steal a win away from NDSU. The Bison, in contrast, have started out 5-0 in conference play and a sweep this weekend would give them more than a leg up on the Summit League competition.

The Mastodons come in with some talent as seniors Stephanie Lamberti, Taryn Parker and Mayara Schlindwein all have more than 100 kills apiece. With this kind of offensive attack, it will be up to NDSU's defense to get those attackers off their game. That should be no problem for the Bison as they are lead by junior middle hitter Chrissy Knuth and her 43 blocks.

The Bison's opponent for Saturday will be a different type of animal. The Golden Grizzlies are 8-8 overall, 3-2 in the conference. They will be looking to do the same thing and bring NDSU back down to the pack.

Oakland has three players with more than 100 kills with Allison Bell, Meghan Bray and Audrey Wilson. The difference here is that while IPFW may be a more complete team, the Grizzlies struggle on defense. Having played two more matches than NDSU, they only have seven more blocks as a team. While the Bison have four very good attackers in Knuth, Brynn Joki, Lauren McLaughlin and Brooke VandenBergh, it will be nearly impossible for the Grizzlies to try and focus on one player.

With that kind of talent on the floor for the Herd, it is not nearly that difficult to believe that Kissman was successful in her first weekend as the starter. Now, she gets to show the Bison faithful what she can do during a tough conference weekend.