Northwestern College dropped its final two matches at the GoSarpy.Com Invitational this afternoon at the Lied Activity Center in Bellevue, Neb. The Red Raiders lost 3-0 (25-18, 25-23, 26-24) to the University of Providence and then dropped a close, four-set match to (RV) Rocky Mountain, 25-20, 19-25, 29-27, 25-19. 

The Red Raiders are now 6-3 on the year as they head into GPAC play next week.

    vs Providence...

Lauryn Hilger and Makenzie Fink both hit for double figures in the Red Raiders 3-0 loss to Providence on Friday afternoon. Hilger led the way with 11 kills in 29 attempts, hitting .276, while Fink posted 10 kills, also in 29 attacks, while hitting .138 from the left side. 

Northwestern trailed from the start in set one, down by as many as 11 early on. They fought back to within six, going on a 12-7 run, after successive kills by Fink and Josie Blankespoor to make the score 22-16. The teams traded points thereafter as Providence went on to win 25-18.

The Red Raiders held their first lead of the match early in set two (5-2) until a 9-3 Providence run put the Argos on top 11-8. The teams traded sideouts over the next while until Northwestern cut the lead down to one four separate times, the final at 24-23 following a kill from Blankespoor. Providence clinched the set, however, after a kill from Lauren Brown to take a 2-0 lead.

Much like set two, Northwestern had the lead early in the final set only to see Providence rally late, outscoring the Red Raiders 8-4 to win the set 26-24. 

    By the Numbers...
    Northwestern hit .158 compared to .315 by Providence
    Both teams served six aces; Providence had the edge in blocks, 3-2

    Lacey Wacker totaled 24 assists and seven digs
    Sydney Martin served a career-best three aces

    vs Rocky Mountain...

Northwestern dropped a close four-set match-up to a ranked Battlin' Bears team 25-20, 19-25, 29-27 and 25-19. Hilger was one of four Red Raiders to tally double figures in kills, leading the way with 17. Fink added 11, as did Bekah Horstman, who coupled her career-best in kills with 1.5 blocks. Emily Van Ginkel totaled career-bests in both kills (10) and blocks (7 assisted).

Rocky Mountain controlled the first set, leading by as many as seven (19-12), after a 6-2 run to force NWC into a timeout. The Battlin' Bears hit nearly .300 in the first set while Northwestern made 10 attack errors and hit .140. 

The teams traded points during the inital part of set two. Tied at 11, Rocky Mountain went ahead 15-12 until Northwestern answered with a 7-2 surge, sparked by kills by Fink, Van Ginkel and Blankespoor and an ace serve by Ann Pater. Northwestern closed out the set with a 6-2 run, finishing off Rocky Mountain with a kill from Horstman, to tie the match at one.

Northwestern used the momentum from its win in set two to jump out to an early 9-4 lead after successful attacks by the sophomore duo of Blankespoor and Van Ginkel. Still up three (15-12), Northwestern was outscored 7-2  as Rocky Mountain surged ahead by two. A kill by Blankespoor and another ace by Pater tied it and the score was tied six more times in the third set, the final at 27-27, leading to the final two points scored by the Battlin' Bears.

The Red Raiders trailed for nearly the entirety of set four as they fell behind by as much as 11 (22-11). Northwestern rallied to make it a five-point game (24-19) on a kill by Van Ginkel, forcing a RMU timeout, but the Bears scored the final point on the 15th and last kill by Daniella Russell.

    By the Numbers...
    Northwestern hit .215 compared to .256 by Rocky Mountain; the Red Raiders held the advantage in kill percentage in the middle two sets
    NWC totaled 10 blocks and seven aces; RMU had seven blocks and six aces

    Lacey Wacker totaled 50 assists and 12 digs
    Four Red Raiders were  in double figures in digs, led by Emily Strasser with 18; Hilger totaled 17, Wacker w/ 12 and Pater with career-best 12.

The Red Raiders will open GPAC play on Tuesday night at Briar Cliff in Sioux City, Iowa. First serve scheduled for 7:30pm.