The University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) volleyball team is 7-0 to start the 2024 season. However, the heavy lifting starts Thursday, September 19 when they serve up Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) play visiting Winona State University.

The Bulldogs’ head coach Jim Boos said their success so far is thanks in-part to a new scheme.

“In my 23 years at the helm of this program, we’ve gone 6-2 out of kind of desperation or as a change of pace because what we were doing was not working and we just wanted to disrupt the rhythm of that certain set. This is the first time where we’ve ever intentionally practiced, started with a 6-2 and rolled with it throughout the duration of the matches,” Boos said.

A 6-2 offensive rotation means there are six attackers and two setters. Boos explained that this is different from their usual 5-1 approach, which is when one setter sets all the way around, from both the back and front row.

“We always have three hitters in the front row. We always have a lot of options, and that’s making the blockers on the other side of the net really guess. It’s leaving me with a lot of openings and the rest of our hitters with a lot of openings,” senior Samantha Paulsen said on the 6-2 formation.

UMD first opens their NSIC slate visiting Winona State Thursday at 6 p.m. Then the No. 11 Bulldogs return to Duluth Saturday for their home opener against No. 10 Concordia-St. Paul. First serve is set for 2 p.m. at Romano Gym.