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Northwestern College Athletics

Northwestern College
HOME OF NORTHWESTERN RED RAIDERS ATHLETICS
HONORING CHRIST THROUGH EXCELLENCE IN ATHLETICS
Nike
2022-vb-recap-philander
0
Philander Smith PSC 22-10, 9-3
3
Winner Northwestern NWC 22-7, 11-5
Philander Smith PSC
22-10, 9-3
0
Final
3
Northwestern NWC
22-7, 11-5
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 F
Philander Smith PSC 13 6 13 (0)
Northwestern NWC 25 25 25 (3)

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball | | NWC Athletic Communications

Raiders Dominate NAIA Opening Round Matchup

Northwestern notches best team hitting percentage of the season in the sweep

ORANGE CITY, Iowa – The No. 8-ranked Northwestern College volleyball team (22-7, 11-5 GPAC) dominated their third-straight National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Opening Round match with a sweep (25-13, 25-6, 25-13) of Philander Smith College (Ark.) (22-10, 9-3 GCAC) inside the Bultman Center Saturday evening.  
 
"I thought we passed service well, which allowed us to run at a fast tempo," noted head coach Kyle Van Den Bosch. "Our hitters got a log of one-on-one situations and they did a great job of attacking the court."  
Northwestern shook off a bit of a slow start in the opening set, but it did not deter the final .513 final team hitting percentage. Philander Smith took the first four points out of the gate, and Northwestern would not see their first lead in the match until the 11-10 mark thanks to a kill from Macay Van't Hul (So., Rock Valley, Iowa). The kill prior, from Alysen Dexter (So., Urbandale, Iowa), would spark what would become an 8-0 Raider run that Northwestern used to put the set – and eventually the match – out of reach. The Raiders would score eight of the last nine points of the set, taking the set 25-13 behind a .448 team hitting percentage – the lowest set hitting percentage of the match for the Red Raiders. Dexter had recorded seven of her 14 kills in the first set alone.
 
The second set was complete Red Raider dominance, jumping out to an 11-2 lead to force PSC to take a time out. Following the time out, the Panthers took back-to-back points but a kill from Savonne Sterk (So., Lynden, Wash.) sparked yet another run, this time 10-straight points to take the commanding 22-4 lead. Northwestern would prevail in the set 25-6.
 
Another massive run in the third set practically put the final nail in the coffin, as a Bekah Horstman (Sr., Pella, Iowa) kill would ignite the longest Raider run of the night in 11-straight points. Kiernan Groendyke (So., Alton, Iowa) would ride the momentum on the serving line during that stretch.
 
In the final set, two Raiders would take to the floor to see their final action inside the Bultman Center in the red and white. Katie Peters (Sr., Le Mars, Iowa) would record three kills on her three attempts, while Olivia Schaub (Sr., Gering, Neb.) would record one kill in the final set.
 
"It was a great team win and we are excited to advance to Sioux City," concluded Van Den Bosch.

MATCH NOTES:
  • The Raiders' .513 hitting percentage (47 kills, 8 errors, 76 attempts) was the best of the season, and the only time hitting over .500 on a match this season.
  • NWC outhit Philander Smith .513 to -.058, the third time this season the Raiders have held an opponent to a negative hitting percentage.
  • Alysen Dexter had as many kills herself that Philander Smith had as a team (14).
  • Jazlin De Haan followed with 10 (.500 pct.), followed by Bekah Horstman with seven (.778 pct.).
  • Macay Van't Hul led the team with four blocks, as De Haan and Horstman both recorded three.
  • Liv Reitsma notched her ninth-straight 30+ assist match with 31 on the night.
  • De Haan also led the team with her nine digs on the match.
  • Jaidyn Teske recorded three of the Red Raiders' seven service aces.
SCOOTER'S PLAYER OF THE GAME
Bekah Horstman  
Up Next: The Raiders run ends in the quarterfinals and the team will await the pairings for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) national tournament, announced on Monday, November 14 at 10:00 a.m. (CT).
 
Don't forget to follow Northwestern College Athletics on Facebook @nwcraiders, Twitter @nwcraiders, and Instagram @nwcraiders! #RaidersStandOut
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