Game Time...The Northwestern College and University of Jamestown volleyball teams play for the third time this season, meeting up for Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) postseason championship, this weekend in Jamestown, N.D. First serve on Saturday, April 10 is scheduled for 2pm.

Both teams own top five rankings; Northwestern moved up to fifth in the latest poll, released earlier this week; Jamestown has held down the No.1 spot all season.

    No.5 Northwestern (19-3) vs No.1 University of Jamestown (25-1)
Saturday, April 10 | 2pm
Harold Newman Arena | Jamestown, N.D.
Webcast: via Jamestown
Live Stats: 
Admission: $10 for adults/senior citizens, $3 for K-12

All-Time...Northwestern owns a 15-3 lead in the all-time series, dating back to the 1998 season. The Raiders are 8-2 in their last 10 matches against Jamestown, going 1-1 against the Jimmies this season.

Earlier This Season...The teams played twice during the regular season, each winning on its home court.

    Nov. 5: 3-1 Northwestern wins: Recap

    Nov. 14: 3-2 Northwestern loss: Recap

GPAC Tournament Recap...    

    GPAC Volleyball Quarterfinals – Saturday, April 3

    #1 Jamestown 3, #8 Morningside 0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-16)
    #5 Midland 3, #4 Dordt 1 (25-21, 25-22, 24-26, 25-21)
    #3 Concordia 3, #6 Dakota Wesleyan 0 (25-19, 28-26, 25-15)
    #2 Northwestern 3, #7 Hastings 0 (25-17, 25-21, 25-10)

    GPAC Volleyball Semifinals – Wednesday, April 7

    #1 Jamestown 3, #5 Midland 1 (25-19, 19-25, 25-21, 25-19)
    #2 Northwestern 3, #3 Concordia 1 (25-22, 25-22, 18-25, 25-23)

    GPAC Volleyball Championship - Saturday, April 10

    #2 Northwestern at #1 Jamestown, 2pm

GPAC Postseason History...This will be the 10th championship match appearance for Northwestern, most among all GPAC teams. The Raiders own a 3-6 record in the title matches, tied for the second most wins among conference teams. Jamestown is 1-0 in conference title matches, defeating College of Saint Mary last season.

    Northwestern GPAC Title Match History...
    2001: lost to Dordt 3-1
    2006: lost to Dordt, 3-2
    2007: lost to Morningside, 3-0
    2008: lost to Morningside, 3-0
    2009: def. Doane, 3-0
    2010: def. Doane, 3-1
    2013: lost to Midland, 3-2
    2014: def. Midland, 3-2
    2018: lost to Dordt, 3-0

Scouting Reports...

    No. 1 University of Jamestown: 15-1 (1st in GPAC), 25-1            Head Coach: Jon Hegerle (12th year)

Jamestown has won 10 straight matches, going 7-0 this spring with a 21-1 in sets played.

Hegerle, named the 2020 GPAC Coach of the Year, is in his 12th season as the Jimmies head coach, a tenure that began in 2009. He owns a win percentage of 71% and has guided Jamestown teams to eight consecutive national tournaments. Last year, Jamestown was the GPAC runner-up to Northwestern with a 14-2 league record, won the conference tournament and advanced all the way to the national semifinals, losing to eventual national champion Marian (Ind.). Six starters and eight players return from last year's team, including three all-conferernce players.

    By The Numbers (GPAC / NAIA rank - if top 10)
    Kills / Set: 14 (1st)
    Hitting % - .234 (3rd)
    Ace / Set - 1.4 (3rd)
    Blocks / Set - 2.4 (3rd)
    Digs / Set - 20 (1st)

    Individual Leaders (GPAC / NAIA rank - if top 10)
    Anna Holen (3x all-conf) - 2.9 kills/set, .166%, 4.4 digs/set
    Nicole Schmitz - 2.1 kills/set, .224%
    Kalli Hegerle (all-conf) - 2.8 kills/set, .296% (5th) 62 blocks
    Jayla Ritter (all-conf) - 1.8 kills/set, .262%, 91 blocks (9th)
    Sydney Ellingson (2x all-conf) - 5.3 digs/set (3rd)

  #5 Northwestern Red Raiders 13-3 (2nd in GPAC), 19-3 overall                Head Coach: Kyle Van Den Bosch (16th Year)

The Raiders have won all four of its spring matches, going 12-2 in sets played, and all four wins are against ranked opponents.

    By the Numbers (GPAC / NAIA)
    Hitting Percentage - .272 (1st / 3rd)
    Kills / Set - 13.4 (4th)
    Aces / Set - 1.3 (4th)
    Digs / Set - 15.4 (7th)
    Blocks / Set - 2.4 (4th)

    Individual Leaders (GPAC / NAIA)
    Anna Wedel - 3.6 kills/set (1st), .244%, 2.9 digs/set
    Makenzie Fink - 2.9 kills.set, .334% (2nd)
    Lacey Reitz - 11.3 assists/set (2nd / 4th), 2.3 digs/set
    Emily Van Ginkel - 2.3 kills/set, .294 (7th), 1 block/set
    A.J. Kacmarynski - 2.5 kills/set, .233%
    Emily Strasser - 4.4 digs/set (8th), 95% serve receive
    Taylor Meyer - 26 aces (2nd)
    Olivia Granstra - 2.3 digs /set, 95% serve receive