Lauryn Hilger put down 20 kills in leading No.7 Northwestern to a four-set win over No.19 Corban (Ore.) in the Red Raiders 2018 season opener played tonight at the Bultman Center. Individual set scores were 31-29, 18-25, 25-23 and 25-21. Northwestern moves to 1-0 on the season while the Warriors drop to 2-3.

Hilger hit .289 over the four-sets and totaled 20 kills, one shy of matching her career high, and a team-high 12 digs in recording the 25th double-double of her career. A.J. Horstman (16 kills, .140%) and Anna Kiel (13 kills, .393%) were also in double figures for the Red Raiders. Lacey Wacker lofted up 53 assists and directed a Red Raider offense that hit .232 for the match. 
 
Key Plays:

    First Set:
        Down 21-15 and out of timeouts, Red Raider sophomore Emily Van Ginkel smashed down a kill to begin a 4-0 rally to get within two (21-19). Following a Corban timeout and sideout to put the Warriors back up three, Northwestern scored the next five points and following kills by Van Ginkel and Mackenzie Fink, served for the set up 24-22. Corban tied the match at 24 and the teams traded points until, with the score knotted at 29, kills by Hilger and Horstman put the Red Raiders on top 31-29.

    Second Set:
        Tied at eight, Corban outscored the hosts 11-5 for a commanding 19-13 advantage. The teams played sideout volleyball the rest of the way as Corban tied the match at one set. The Warriors hit .360 and held the Northwestern attack to just 7% in the second frame.

     Third Set:
        Falling behind early in the third, Northwestern used an 8-2 run to pull ahead, 12-9, after consecutive kills by Hilger. The Red Raiders maintained a 2-3 point edge over the next bit until Corban outscored the hosts 7-3 for a 21-20 advantage. Tied at 22, a service error by Corban followed by an ace by Hilger gave the Red Raiders set point, 24-22. The Warriors earned a sideout but Horstman put the set away with a kill on the leftside for a 25-23 win.

     Fourth Set:
        Northwestern raced out to a 5-1 lead and surged ahead by as many as eight (20-12) after a kill by Kiel. Corban made on last push, cutting the Red Raiders lead down to two (22-20) off a successful attack by Adriana Aguayo. The hosts then closed the match by scoring three of the final four points, finishing off the Warriors on a kill by Horstman.

By the Numbers...
    Northwestern hit .232 and totaled three blocks, led by Kiel who assisted on four; Corban hit .317 for the match, led by Aguayo with 18 and Cassie Cunningham with 13.

    The Red Raiders totaled 13 aces, led by Makenzie Fink with five and Hilger with four.

    Hilger (12 digs) and Strasser (10 digs) led by Red Raiders in the backrow