The seventh ranked Carroll College women will take on a pair of solid NAIA programs tonight and Saturday night when they battle Simpson University of Redding, Calif. and Dickinson State University of the Dakota Athletic Conference.

Simpson is currently 2-3 on the season and is coming off a win over California Baptist. Dickinson State has played all Frontier Conference opponents and has struggled to a 1-3 mark.

Simpson is led by forward Sara Fairburn, who averages 15 points per game. Guard Chalynn Passmore has been good for 12.6 ppg.

"They really like to dribble-penetrate, which is something we're ready for having played those Canadian team," Carroll head coach Shawn Nelson said. "They push it in transition and try to get to the basket."

The Blue Hawks only win came against UM-Western by a 60-58 count. They lost to Montana Tech in their season opener and lost their last two games, both against the University of Great Falls.

"Their record is deceiving," Nelson said. "They try to pressure the guards, which is something we need to see. I'm anxious to see how we handle it.

"Hope University got after our guards last week, so we've worked on that in practice. Hope was an excellent team. They beat Lewis-Clark State by 15 and L-C had a great recruiting class."

DSU, which has won the DAC six teams and went to the NAIA national tournament in 2003 and 2004, is averaging just 62 points per game this season. The Blue Hawks advanced to the Elite Eight in 2003.

Brittany Mesa leads DSU with 12.3 ppg and is the only Blue Hawk averaging in double figures. Mesa also leads the way with 5.8 rebounds per game.

"Defensively, we're doing good pressuring the ball and our overall team D is good," Nelson said. "Offensively we're a little impatient. A lot of one pass shots, so we need to work it around and get the shot clock down to 10-15 seconds."

Carroll has a veteran group in the back court and is playing well through it second unit. Post Hannah Heidenreich is averaging a double-double in points and rebounds.

"Our team was pretty one-dimensional in the past, but now it's more balanced with the hustle plays we're getting by the post players."

Aside from Carroll being in the top 25, two other Frontier Conference teams are ranked. L-C State checks in at No. 10 and Westminster College is sitting at No. 24.