15th-ranked Northwestern pushed its win streak to six with a 3-1 win over #13 Hastings in a conference match-up played tonight at the Bultman Center. Individual game scores include 25-22, 22-25, 25-22, 25-22.
The Red Raiders moved into sole possession of third place with a 7-1 record, 16-4 overall. Hastings drops its second straight match to fall into a three-way tie for fourth place in the conference with a 5-3 record, 10-5 overall.
Lauryn Hilger led Northwestern with 19 kills in 45 attempts, hitting .222 over the four sets, and also totaled 10 digs for her eighth double-double of the season.
Makenzie Fink put down 16 kills and hit .414 against one of the top blocking teams in the NAIA.
Josie Blankespoor added 11 kills, hitting for double figures in her fourth straight match, while
Bekah Horstman and
Emily Van Ginkel totaled six and five kills, respectively.
Lacey Wacker lofted up 49 assists and directed a Red Raider offense that hit .269.
Emily Strasser led the way in the backrow with 12 digs and served one ace.
First Set...
Nine ties and six lead changes highlighted a first set that Northwestern had to rally late for a 25-22 win. Down two (17-15), the Red Raiders scored five of the next seven points to tie it at 20. A kill by Fink put the hosts up for good and began a 3-0 run and Blankespoor finished off Hastings with a successful attack for a 1-0 lead.
Second Set...
Hastings came out strong in set two, opening up a 9-4 advantage to force at Northwestern timeout. Van Den Bosch's squad gradually came back, eventually tying the set at 18 with two consecutive kills by Hilger. The Broncos countered with a 5-1 run after a timeout and went on for the 25-22 win and tie the match at one set.
Third Set...
A kill by Van Ginkel gave the Red Raiders the largest lead of a very tight third set (5-2) until the final points. The teams went back-and-forth thereafter as the lead changed hands 10 times and the score tied 20. Knotted for the final time at 20, Fink put down two kills and sparked a 4-0 NWC run. Hastings came back with two points, including an ace by Cassidy Ostrand, but Fink closed out the set with another kill to give Van Den Bosch's team a 25-22 win.
Fourth Set...
Northwestern raced out to an 11-6 advantage in the final set only to have Hastings rally to tie it at 13. The Broncos went ahead briefly (17-15) but Hilger and Wacker both put down two kills each as the Red Raiders went ahead for good, 22-18.
Hastings hit .288 for the match and had a 10-4 advantage in blocks. Sage Meyer totaled 21 kills and eight digs and Lucy Skoch added 14 kills.
