Lauryn Hilger put down a match-high 13 kills in leading 15th-ranked Northwestern to a home 3-0 sweep over Mount Marty in a conference match-up played Tuesday night at the Bultman Center. Individual set scores include 25-9, 25-21 and 25-21. 

Northwestern improves to 3-1 in the GPAC, 12-4 overall. 

Hilger, the reigning NAIA and GPAC Attacker of the Week, hit for double figures for the 14th time this season, putting down 13 while hitting .579 in the three sets. Emily Van Ginkel added six kills in nine attacks to go with 1.5 blocks. Lacey Wacker put up 31 assists and Emily Strasser led all players with 12 digs. 

Red Raiders Overwhelm Lancers in First-Set Win

Northwestern hit 62% and limited Mount Marty to -3% in earning a 25-9 win in set one. The Red Raiders committed just one attack error and forced MMC into 11. Hilger put away three kills in the opening set.

Late Rally Gives Northwestern 2-0 Lead

Tied at seven, Mount Marty outscored the hosts 12-7 to force Coach Van Den Bosch to use both timeouts trailing 19-14. A successful attack by Van Ginkel began an 8-0 Northwestern run as the Red Raiders surged ahead 22-19. The teams traded points thereafter and kills by Hilger and Bekah Horstman put the Red Raiders on top 25-21.

Northwestern Holds Off Lancers To Complete Sweep

The Red Raiders held a slight lead early and pushed it out to four, 14-10, to force a Mount Marty timeout. The Lancers came back with a 7-2 run, taking a brief lead, until a kill by Van Ginkel put Northwestern in front for good at 20-19. Wacker, Hilger and Horstman put down a kill in the closing moments to clinch it for the Red Raiders.

By the Numbers...

Northwestern hit 37% for the match and had a 6-1 advantage in blocking; Mount Marty hit 8%.

Brooke Bennett led the Lancers with eight kills; Elizabeth Watchorn and Mikaela Ahrendt added six kills each.