Game Time... Northwestern College hosts Briar Cliff for a GPAC match-up Tuesday night at the Bultman Center. First serve is scheduled for 7:30 pm. Northwestern, ranked third in the NAIA (Oct. 3 poll), is tied for second in the current GPAC standings with a 9-1 record, 22-2 overall. Briar Cliff currently sixth in the GPAC with a 6-5 record, 16-5 overall. 

Follow the game live via the NWC webcast at the following link: Watch Now! 

All-Time...Northwestern leads the all-time series (since 1989) 54-9 and has won 18 straight matches against the Chargers.

Scouting Reports...

    Briar Cliff Chargers: 6-5 (6th), 16-5       Head Coach: Trevor Schirman (5th)

The Chargers have won three consecutive matches since a four-set loss to Morningside on Oct. 7. They have earned wins over Dakota Wesleyan, Mount Mercy and College of Saint Mary, all by 3-0 scores, and stand alone in sixth place in the GPAC standings with a 6-5 record. BCU opened the year with 11 straight wins but followed with a four-match losing streak, falling to ranked teams, Morningside, Midland, Dordt and Hastings. 

Schirman is in his fifth season with the Chargers and returns all but three starters from last year's squad that finished eighth in the GPAC with a 5-11 record, 12-16 overall. 

By the Numbers: (GPAC rank/NAIA rank-if top 10)
Kills/Set-13 (5th)
Hitting %-.209 (5th)
Aces-104 (6th)
Digs-15.2 (6th)
Blocks/Set-2.1 (4th)

Key Players:
Courtney Schafer (All-Conference in 2016); 3.4 kills/set (7th), .242 %, 27 blocks
Keely Woods-2.6 kills/set, .297 %, 19 blocks
Emily Sanburg-2.5 kills/set, .230 %, 46 blocks
Kiaya Alderson-1.2 kills/set, .136 %, 46 blocks
Laura Barry (All-Conference in 2016)  4.8 assists/set, 15 aces
Breanne Hankins (All-Conference in 2016)  4.4 digs/set (7th)

    No.3 Northwestern College: 9-1 (T2nd), 22-2 overall    Head Coach: Kyle Van Den Bosch (13th year)

The Red Raiders are tied for second in the current GPAC standings, 1/2 game behind Hastings with six matches left in the regular season. They are 9-1 over their last 10 matches. 

By the Numbers: (GPAC rank/NAIA rank-if top 10)
Kills/Set-14.2 (2nd/10th)
Hitting %-.319 (1st/3rd)
Aces-201 (1st/10th)
Digs-13.2 (10th)
Blocks/Set-1.9 (8th)

Key Players:
Anna Kiel-3.7 kills/set (3rd), .412% (1st/4th), 67 blocks, 2 digs/set
A.J. Horstman (All-Conference in 2016) 3.1 kills/set, 317 (6th), 34 aces (2nd), 52 blocks
Lauryn Hilger (All-American in 2016) 2.6 kills/set, .302% (7th), 23 aces, 2.9 digs/set
Makenzie Fink-2.4 kills/set, .212%, 28 aces (7th), 1.9 digs/set
Josie Blankespoor-1.4 kills/set, .352%, 67 blocks
Lacey Wacker-11.7 assists/set (1st/1st), 25 aces (10th), 23 blocks
Karsyn Winterfeld-70 aces (1st/1st), 2.8 digs/set