Game Time...No.13 Northwestern College is set to play in the Bulldogs Bash this weekend, a volleyball classic hosted by Concordia University in Seward, Neb. The Red Raiders (4-1) will play a total of four matches over the two-day classic, two matches each day. Northwestern will open play against the University of Mary (N.D.) on Friday at 3pm followed by a match-up against Bethany (Kan.) later that afternoon (5:30pm). They will return to the court on Saturday to play Chadron State (Neb.) at 11am and York (Neb.) at 1pm. 

Follow the live stats of all four matches at this link: Live Stats!   Three of the matches (vs U. of Mary, Chadron State and York) will have live video, courtesy of Concordia, at this link: Video. 

All-Time...Northwestern is 6-0 all-time against the University of Mary, last playing the Marauders in 2002. The Red Raiders are 1-0 against Bethany, defeating the Swedes in 2009, 2-0 against Chadron State (1991, 2005) and 2-0 all-time against York. 

Scouting Reports...

  University of Mary: 0-0   Head Coach: Thais Franca (3rd season)

An NCAA Division II program and a member of the Northern Sun Conference, the Marauders will be making their season debut this weekend at the Classic. They return two starters and seven letterwinners from a 2016 squad that finished 13th in the competitive 16-team league with a 4-16 record, 9-20 overall. Mary was picked to finish 14th in the conference preseason coaches' poll and seven teams from the Northern Sun are ranked in the NCAA D-II top 25. 

Franca is in her third season as the U. of Mary head coach, taking over the program in December of 2015. Lauren Randall, in her fourth year as a starter for the Marauders, ranked second in the conference in kills per set (4.4) last season. She is joined by Freddie Campbell on the outside, a 6-0 senior who also returns from 2016. Setter Katelyn Olson and libero Geovana Almeida join the list of returners and will serve in the same role.

 Bethany Colllege: 1-2   Head Coach: Cheri Lindsey (3rd season)

The Swedes have started the 2017 season with a 1-2 mark, defeating University of Science and Arts (Okla.) and losing to both Concordia and Kansas Wesleyan, all by straight sets. Members of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC), Bethany was picked eighth out of 12 teams in the preseason coaches' poll.

Lindsey brings back six players from a 2016 team that finished eighth in the KCAC at 8-14, 10-22 overall. They lost in the conference quarterfinals. Chanelle McCormick and Caitlin Boden are the top returning hitters while Opal Drapeau is back as one of the team's setters. Newcomer Azucena Duarte leads the Swedes in kills (3.0), hitting nearly .200 on the outside. 

 Chadron State: 0-0     Head Coach: Riann Mullis (2nd season)

The Eagles are another making their 2017 season debut this weekend in Seward, Neb. Chadron State is part of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC), a very competitive league in NCAA Division II.

Mullis begins her second year as the Eagles' head coach and returns three starters and six players from a 2016 team that went 6-12 in the RMAC, good for 10th place, 7-20 overall. Madison Webb will serve as the team's primary setter once again after being in that role the last two years. Gaby Varela, a 6-1 hitter on the rightside, is the top returner at hitter and Emily Bruce comes back at libero. 

 York College: 1-5         Head Coach: Erin Freeman (3rd season)

After earning a 3-1 win against Johnson & Wales (Colo.) to open the season, York has dropped its last five matches and brings a 1-5 record into the weekend. They have lost to Wayland Baptist (Texas), Providence (Mont.), Presentation (S.D.), College of Saint Mary (Neb.) and Saint Mary (Kan.). 

Freeman is in her third season as the Panthers head coach after serving as a high school and club coach in Colorado for two years. Freeman returns five players from 2016 team that finished 11th in the KCAC with a 3-20 record, 3-31 overall. 

Two all-conference players, Molly Little and Jolene Herzog, headline the list of returners from last season. Little is averaging a team-best 2.2 kills per set while hitting .117 as one of the outside hitters and Herzog guides the offense as one of the team's setters, lofting up over four assists per set. 

Northwestern Notes: 

-ranked No.13 in NAIA coaches' poll, one of six teams from the rugged GPAC to be recognized in the preseason poll

-off to a 4-1 start to the 2017 season; only loss to No.9 Corban (Ore.) in five sets at the Red Raider Classic

-Kyle Van Den Bosch is in his 13th season on the Red Raider sidelines; returns four letterwinners, seven players from a 2016 team that finished fifth in the GPAC at 10-6, 18-17 overall.

-Northwestern is hitting .320 compared to .102 by opponents; Red Raiders have 49 ace serves compared to 22 by opponents

-Anna Kiel leads NW with 4.2 kills per set, hitting .448; Kiel has hit for double figures in four of the five matches

-Lauryn Hilger (3.2) and A.J. Horstman (2.9) are the other top hitters

Lacey Wacker lofts up 12.5 assists in her first season as setter; is third on the team with nine aces

Karsyn winterfeld leads the team with 18 aces and is second in digs (2.9)

Josie Blankespoor (19) and Kiel (18) lead the team in blocks