Top-ranked Northwestern powered past College of Saint Mary in four sets (25-18, 22-25, 25-21, 25-17) in a GPAC match-up played tonight at the Bultman Center. 

Northwestern, now 24-0 overall, improved to 12-0 in the conference with four matches left in the regular season. College of Saint Mary loses for just the second time in their last seven matches, falling to 5-7 in the GPAC, 20-10 overall. 

Anna Wedel led the Red Raiders with 16 successful attacks, reaching double figures for the 22nd time this season. Both A.J. Kacmarynsi and Makenzie Fink smashed down 11 kills and Bekah Horstman tallied nine kills and 3.5 blocks. Emily Van Ginkel added six kills and three blocks.

Northwestern had an advantage in nearly every statistical category, the most significant at the net, hitting 36% and putting down 11.5 blocks compared to a CSM team that hit 15% and accounted for two blocks. Head Coach Kyle Van Den Bosch's squad hit better than .400 in both the first and third sets and limited the Flames to 0% in the final set.

Down one early in the first set, the Red Raiders scored four straight points, beginning with a kill by Kacmarynski, to take the lead for good 10-7. They gradually stretched the lead to seven by the end of the set, outscoring the Flames 6-3 down the stretch for a 25-18 win.

Northwestern started fast in set two, opening up a 15-10 advantage after successful attacks by Wedel and Van Ginkel. The Flames rallied, however, behind a 10-3 run to go up 20-18 and the teams traded points thereafter for a 25-22 College of Saint Mary win.

Tied at 10 in the third, a CSM error followed by an ace serve from Lacey Wacker put Northwestern up for good. Up 24-20, Northwestern finished off the Flames with a kill from Fink.

The Red Raiders fell behind early in the final set, trailing 12-8 and forced to use a timeout. Van Den Bosch's squad answered with a 6-2 run, tying the set at 14, and, tied again at 15, scored eight consecutive points, served by Emily Strasser, to seize control. 

Wacker put up 51 assists, totaling 50+ for the fifth time this season. Strasser led the backrow play with 13 digs to go with two aces and Ann Pater put up double figures with 12 digs. 

CSM was led by Amber Anderson with 17 kills, followed by Makenna Freeman with 14.