Anna Wedel matched her career-high with 22 kills and Makenzie Fink put down 17 kills in leading second-ranked Northwestern to a 3-1 win over Dakota Wesleyan Wednesday night in a GPAC match-up. Individual game scores were 25-21, 14-25, 25-22 and 26-24. 

Northwestern picked up the season sweep against DWU, winning both by 3-1 scores, and improves to 5-0 in the GPAC, 16-0 overall. DWU falls to 1-4 in conference action, 14-4 overall. 

Both teams showcased outstanding play at the net and equally impressive play in the backrow...yielding to long rallies and the anxious crowd applauding the back-and-forth action. Northwestern hit .305 and totaled eight blocks compared to DWU hitting at a .285 clip and compiling six blocks. 

Wedel matched her career-high, set earlier this season in the win over Dordt, with 22 kills, providing the attack primarily on the leftside. Fink shouldered the load, primarily on the rightside, with 17 kills and hitting over .400. Both A.J. Kacmarynski and Bekah Horstman compiled 12 kills each and Emily Van Ginkel added seven kills and assisted on three blocks. 

Northwestern let an early 5-1 lead slip away as the hosts were down 17-15 and forced into a timeout. Kills by Fink and Horstman put the Red Raiders back in front and Lacey Wacker served an ace to give NW a 23-20 lead. Van Ginkel put down a winner on set point as Northwestern came away with a 25-21 win. 

Tied 6-6 in the second set, the visiting Tigers scored the next three points and led the rest of the way en route to a 25-14 win. DWU closed with a 16-5 run and hit 36% compared to 17% by the Red Raiders. 

The Red Raiders overcame a six-point deficit (11-5) to win the pivotal third set, 25-22. Kacmarynski served five consecutive points, aided by kills from Wedel (3) and Wacker, to force DWU into a timeout. The teams traded sideouts over the next while, until, down 20-19, Northwestern scored four straight points on kills by Wedel (2) and Horstman, to pull ahead 23-20. Wedel ended the set, with Northwestern in front, 25-22, on another successful attack.

12 ties and four lead changes highlighted the fourth and final set; DWU held the largest lead (13-9) but a 6-2 Northwestern surge brought the hosts back and tied at 15. Knotted for the final time at 24, Northwestern won it with kills from Fink and Horstman. 

Wacker lofted up a season-high 63 assists, two shy from matching her career-high, and totaled 12 digs; her third double-double of the season. Emily Strasser was the leader in the backrow with 30 digs and both Wedel (15 digs) and Ann Pater (12 digs) were also in double figures.

DWU was led by Rebecca Frick with 23 kills, hitting nearly .300 against the Red Raiders. Jadie DeLange (15) and Emily Brunsing (14) were also in double figures.