VALLEY CITY, ND   (NewsDakota.com)  Tonight marks the opener of Frontier Conference play for the Viking volleyball team, while they face a familiar opponent.

Mayville State comes to the W. E. Osmon Fieldhouse Wednesday night, the first of three matches the Vikings will play as part of league competition this week.  The Vikings face Montana Western Friday and Montana Tech Saturday.

Valley City State is 2-3 to start the year, including a win over Morningside, IA, a team receiving votes in the national poll.  They also took seventh-ranked Northwestern, IA to a 3-2 match last weekend.

The biggest change to the Viking approach this season has been replacing All-American setter Sadie Hansen.  Senior Gracie Schumacher and first-year player Madden Bogenreif are now working a 6-2 lineup for the Vikings, and have 100 and 99 assists, respectively.

Maci Fridgen, a transfer last year from the University of Jamestown, leads the Viking offense with 55 kills.  Danielle Hagler, returning from a devastating knee injury a year ago, has 41 kills.

First serve is set for 7:00 PM, pregame coverage begins at 6:30 PM on KOVC and the VCSU Athletics YouTube Channel.  You can watch the match below and take in pregame comments from head coach Michelle Meiklejohn.