Game Time...It's championship week for the Northwestern College volleyball team as they begin play at the 2020-21 NAIA Championship held at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa. Pool play begins on Tuesday for all 24 teams at the final site; Northwestern, the top seed in pool E, will play 21st-ranked Oklahoma City at 10:30am on court #2. The Raiders will then play 13th-ranked Corban, the No.2 seed in pool E, at 1pm on Wednesday.

 NAIA Volleyball Championship - Final Site Pool Play Match Info

        No.5 Northwestern (20-4) vs No.21 Oklahoma City (15-2)

• Tuesday, April 27 @ 10:30am, Pool E match-up, court #2
• Tyson Events Center / Sioux City, Iowa
• Watch | Live Stats
• Radio: Sioux County Radio, 93.9 FM
• Tickets on sale online Tyson Events Center

        No.5 Northwestern (20-4) vs No.13 Corban (13-4)

• Wednesday, April 28 @ 1pm, Pool E match-up, court #3
• Tyson Events Center / Sioux City, Iowa
• Watch | Live Stats
• Radio: Sioux County Radio, 93.9 FM
• Tickets on sale online Tyson Events Center

The Rivalry...Northwestern is 3-0 all-time against Oklahoma City, including a win in the round of 16 at last year's national championship. The Raiders also earned wins during regular season play in 2011 and 2015:
        2019: 3-1 win @ NAIA Championship final site, Round of 16
        2015: 3-2 win
        2011: 3-2 win 
Northwestern is 3-1 all-time against Corban with all four matches played since 2017. The Raiders have won three straight in the rivalry, including a 3-1 win in pool play at last year's championship.
        2019: 3-1 win @ NAIA Championship final site, pool play
        2018: 3-2 win
        2018: 2-1 win
        2017: 3-2 loss

How They Qualified...Northwestern received one of the 36 auto bids by way of the GPAC Tournament runner-up finish and defeated Trinity Christian (3-0) in the opening round. Oklahoma City earned an auto bid by way of winning the Sooner Athletic Regular and Postseason titles. The Stars swept Our Lady of Lourdes (Texas) in the opening round. Corban also received an auto bid into the championship, doing so by winning the Cascade Collegiate Conference postseason title. The Warriors defeated The Master's 3-1 in the opening round. 

About the Championship...This year's championship features the 24 winners of the opening round matches that were played at host sites on April 17. The 24 teams are divided into eight pools of three teams each; the winner of each pool advances to the quarterfinal round on Thursday night. Semifinals will be on Friday night and the championship, which will be live on ESPN3, is Saturday night at 7pm.  

•         Championship Preview (NAIA)

NAIA Postseason History...Northwestern is making its fourth straight and 16th overall appearance at the NAIA Volleyball Championship, third most among this year's field (Georgetown - 21, Madonna - 19). They are 32-31 all-time at the championship and have reached the quarterfinals five times, most recently last season.

This will be the 11th team that current Northwestern head coach, Kyle Van Den Bosch, has taken to the championship. Ranked fifth in the final coaches' poll released earlier today, Northwestern received one of the 36 auto bids by way of the GPAC Tournament runner-up finish. Northwestern @ NAIA Championship

This is the sixth time Oklahoma City has qualified for the national tournament and fifth time to the final site. They are 5-12 all-time in the NAIA postseason and have made it as far as the round of 16 in both 2016 and 2019.

Corban will be playing in its fifth straight and overall national tournament, reaching the quarterfinals in 2017. They have advanced out of pool play in each of the previous four appearances.

Scouting Reports...

     #21 Oklahoma City Stars
    Overall Record: 15-2
    Sooner Athletic Conf. Record: 10-0 (won 5th straight regular / postseason title
    Head Coach: Kristen Coventon (7th year)
        -former head coach at Southwest Christian University
    Qualified by: Auto (Sooner champion)
    NAIA Championship Appearances: 6
    Consecutive NAIA Appearances: 5th
    Record at NAIA Championship: 5-12
    Best Finish: round of 16 in 2016, 2019

    Team Stats (NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Hitting % - .201 
    Kills / Set - 13.95 (7th)
    Aces / Set - 2.4
    Blocks / Set - 1.6

    Statistical Leaders:
    Kills / Set:
    Ella Lofton (3x all-conf): 3.5
    Catelyn Vargas (2x all-conf): 2.6
    
    Hitting %:
    Kenady Bertling (1st team all-conf): .287
    Olivia Nutter (all-conf): .222
    
    Assists / Set:
    Sophia Salak (All-American, 2x Sooner Player/Setter of Year): 12.2 assists/set (1st)

    Aces:
    Isabel Harwell (2x all-conf): 37 (5th)
    Sophia Salak: 35 (6th)

    Blocks:
    Olivia Nutter: 38
    Kenady Bertling: 34

    Digs / Set:
    Isabel Harwell: 4.7

    #13 Corban Warriors
    Overall Record: 13-4
    Cascade Collegiate Conf. Record: 10-4 (2nd in conf; won postseason title)
    Head Coach: Kim McLain (6th year)
        -2x coach CCAC coach of year
    Qualified by: Auto (postseason champion)
    NAIA Championship Appearances: 5
    Consecutive NAIA Appearances: 5
    Record at NAIA Championship: 12-8
    Best Finish: quarterfinals in 2017

    Team Stats (NAIA rank-if top 10)
    Hitting % - .228 
    Kills / Set - 13.4
    Aces / Set - 1.6
    Blocks / Set - 2.1

    Statistical Leaders:
    Kills / Set:
    Averi Ridgway (2x all-conf): 3.1
    Ally Tow (all-conf): 2.5
    
    Hitting %:
    Sarena Bartley: .328
    Cora Furman: .243
    
    Assists / Set:
    Jadyn Mullen (all-conf): 5.9
    Ciarra Judson: 5.1

    Aces:
    Rylee Troutman (all-conf, Freshman of Year): 21
    Ciarra Judson: 19

    Blocks:
    Cora Furman: 65
    Allyson Reid: 50

    Digs / Set:
   Kealani Ontai (3x all-conf): 4.9

    #5 Northwestern Red Raiders
    Overall Record: 20-4
    GPAC Record: 13-3 (2^nd)
    Head Coach: Kyle Van Den Bosch (16^th  year)
    Qualified by: Auto (GPAC Tment Runner-Up)
    NAIA Championship Appearances: 16
    Consecutive NAIA Appearances: 4th
    Record at NAIA Championship: 32-31
    Best Finish: Quarterfinals (4x)

    Team Stats (NAIA-if top 10)
    Hitting % - .271 (3rd)
    Kills / Set - 13.3 
    Aces / Set - 1.4 
    Blocks / Set - 2.3 
 
    Statistical Leaders:
    Kills / Set:
    Anna Wedel: 3.6 (2x All-American, NAIA Player of Year, 2x GPAC Player of Year)
    Makenzie Fink: 2.9 (2x All-American)
    A.J. Kacmarynski: 2.5 (All-American)

    Hitting %:
    Bekah Horstman: .375 (2x all-conf)
    Makenzie Fink: .337
    Emily Van Ginkel: .305 (3x all-conf)

    Assists / Set:
    Lacey Reitz: 11.3 (2x All-American, 4x all-conf, 2x GPAC Setter of Year)

    Aces:
    Taylor Meyer: 32
    Lacey Reitz: 21

    Blocks:
    Emily Van Ginkel: 83
    Macay Van't Hul: 68

    Digs / Set:
    Emily Strasser: 4.2 (3x all-conf)
    Anna Wedel: 2.8
    Lacey Reitz: 2.4