Game Time...Second-ranked Northwestern begins the second half of its conference schedule this weekend as they make the trip to Fremont, Neb. to play No.8 Midland on Saturday afternoon. First serve is set for 3pm. Northwestern is currently in first place in the GPAC with a 9-0 record, 21-0 overall; Midland is tied with Dordt for fourth place in the current GPAC standings with a 6-4 league mark, 14-7 overall. 

    Follow the match live via the Midland broadcast at this link: Watch Now!

All-Time...Overall, Northwestern holds a substantial advantage in the rivalry against the Warriors with a 48-13 all-time record since 1989. Of late, the rivalry is even with the teams splitting the last 10 matches, going 5-5 over the last five years. Northwestern defeated Midland in the only match-up played last year, 3-0, in Orange City.

    2018: 3-0 win
    2017: 3-2 win
    2016: 3-1 loss, 3-1 loss
    2015: 3-2 loss
    2014: 3-0 win, 3-1 win, 3-1 win
    2015: 3-1 win, 3-1 win, 3-2 loss (GPAC championship), 3-1 loss (Round of 16 at NAIA)

Scouting Reports...

    No.8 Midland Warriors: 6-4 (T4th in GPAC), 14-7        Head Coac: Paul Giesselmann (10th year)

The Warriors dropped a five-set match to College of Saint Mary last time out (Wednesday) and are tied with Dordt for fourth place in the conference at 6-4. They trail Concordia by one match and are one half game up on Morningside with six matches left. Midland has lost four of its last five after going 13-3 to start the season. 

Giesselmann began his coaching tenure at Midland in 2010 and is the all-time winningest coach in the program with over 250 wins. Now in his 10th season, he is a two-time GPAC Coach of the Year and has led Midland to the national touranment in each of the last six seasons. Last year, Midland finished with a 26-8 record, losing to Park in the national semifinals in four sets. Five starters and seven players return from last year's team.

By the Numbers:
Kills / Set - 12.9 (8th)
Hitting % - .200 (9th)
Aces - 132 (4th)
Blocks - 209 (1st / 4th)
Digs - 15.1 (7th)

Individual Leaders:
Taylor Petersen (All-GPAC) -2.9 kills/set (9th), .204%, 54 blocks
Maddie Wieseler - 2.2 kills/set, .204%, 44 blocks
Maggie Hiatt- 2.1 kills/set, .277%, 100 blocks (1st/4th)
Hope Leimbach - 5.7 assists/set, 20 aces, 1.6 digs/set
Bree Burtwistle - 5.3 assists/set, 23 aces, 1.4 digs/set
Tailyah Flores - 20 aces, 4.4 digs/set (5th)

    No.2 Northwestern College: 9-0 (1st in GPAC), 21-0        Head Coach: Kyle Van Den Bosch (15th year)

Northwestern needed five sets but stayed unbeaten with a dramatic 3-2 win over 22nd-ranked Dordt Wednesday night at the Bultman Center. The teams combined for 76 points (39-37) in set four, establishing the GPAC record for most points scored in a set. Anna Wedel put down a career-high and NW record 32 kills and Makenzie Fink added 20 for the Red Raiders. Northwestern is 9-0 in conference play, 21-0 overall, heading into its first match-up against the southern conference teams.

By The Numbers...GPAC / NAIA Rank (if top 10)
    14.3 kills/set            1st / 3rd
    .313 hit %                1st / 1st
    132 aces                 2nd
    13.9 digs/set           11th
    2.2 blocks/set          7th

    Individual Leaders:
    Anna Wedel - 4.0 kills/set (T2nd), .332 (4th), 2.6 digs/set, 28 blocks
    Makenzie Fink - 3.1 kills/set (5th), .319 (6th), 24 aces (T8th), 47 blocks
    A.J. Kacmarynski - 2.7 kills/set, .232%, 18 aces, 31 blocks
    Bekah Horstman - 2.2 kills/set, .422%, 82 blocks (5th)
    Emily Van Ginkel - 1.8 kills/set, .291%, 71 blocks
    Lacey Wacker - 12 assists/set (1st/1st), 31 aces (1st)
    Emily Strasser - 24 aces (T8th), 4.3 digs/set (6th)