Game Time...No.2 Northwestern resumes its 2019 season with a midweek road match-up against Briar Cliff on Wednesday night, Sept. 18 at the Newman Flanagan Center. First serve is slated at 7:30pm. Northwestern, 3-0 in the GPAC, is 14-0 overall while the host Chargers are 2-1 in the conference, 11-5 overall. 

Follow the match live, via the BCU webcast, at this link: Watch!

Listen to the match live, via the Sioux Country broadcast, at this link: Listen!

All-Time...Northwestern is 59-10 all-time against Briar Cliff, dating back to the 1989 season. They won both matches played in 2018 and are unbeaten over the last 10 match-up against BCU. 

Scouting Reports...

    Briar Cliff Chargers:  2-1 (GPAC), 11-5        Head Coach: Lindsey Weatherford (1st year)

The Chargers have lost two straight heading into Wednesday's match-up against Northwestern and are 2-1 in the GPAC, 11-5 overall. They went 1-2 last week, defeating Dakota Wesleyan in four sets, losing to Mayville State in five and to Dordt in three. BCU is 0-4 against  teams ranked in the top 25; Grand View, Midland, Corban and Dordt.

Weatherford is in her first season as the Chargers head coach, coming to BCU after being the assistant at Luther for a couple of years. Weatherford also has coaching stops at Kirkwood Community College and Waldorf. She inherited a BCU team that returns nine players from a 2018 team that finished in a four-way tie for seventh place with a 5-11 record, 11-16 overall. The Chargers were picked 11th of 12 teams in the GPAC preseason poll. 

    By The Numbers...GPAC / NAIA Rank (if top 10)
    12.3 kills/set            10th
    .213 hit %                8th
    93 aces                   6th
    14.7 digs/set           8th
    2.6 blocks/set         2nd / 8th

    Individual Leaders:
    Victoria Gonzalez - 2.8 kills/set, .261%, 20 aces (9th), 2.3 digs/set, 21 blocks
    Noel Phillips - 2 kills/set, .214%, 25 blocks
    Grace Whitlaw (All-Conf) - 1.8 kills/set, .267%, 1.4 blocks/set (1st / 8th)
    Tyra Blue - 1.7 kills/set, .9 blocks/set
    Delaney Meyer (2x All-Conf.)  5.3 assists/set, 13 aces, 2.3 digs/set
    Cassie Clark - 3.5 digs/set

    #2 Northwestern Red Raiders: 3-0, 14-0        Head Coach: Kyle Van Den Bosch (15th year)

The Red Raiders are 3-0 in conference play, defeating Dakota Wesleyan, Dordt and Mount Marty. They are 42-8 in sets played and are 4-0 against ranked teams (Corban, Grand View, Viterbo and Dordt).

    By The Numbers...GPAC / NAIA Rank (if top 10)
    14.1 kills/set            3rd / 5th
    .312 hit %                1st / 1st
    100 aces                 1st
    13.7 digs/set           12th
    2.1 blocks/set          8th

    Individual Leaders:
    Anna Wedel - 3.9 kills/set (3rd), .316 (7th), 2.5 digs/set, 18 blocks
    Makenzie Fink - 2.8 kills/set, .299 (9th), 12 aces, 29 blocks
    Bekah Horstman - 2.1 kills/set, .417%, 49 blocks
    Lacey Wacker - 11.7 assists/set (1st/1st), 23 aces (T1st)
    Emily Strasser - 23 aces (T1st), 4.1 digs/set (9th)