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volleyball-midland-gpac-semifinals-recap-2023
1
Midland MID 15-11, 10-6 GPAC
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Winner Northwestern NWC 25-2, 14-2 GPAC
Midland MID
15-11, 10-6 GPAC
1
Final
3
Northwestern NWC
25-2, 14-2 GPAC
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Midland MID 23 18 25 21 (1)
Northwestern NWC 25 25 20 25 (3)

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

Northwestern Punches Ticket to GPAC Championship Match

Zavyr Metzger and Emma Westphal each set new career-high blocking marks

ORANGE CITY, Iowa – The No. 1-ranked Northwestern College volleyball team (25-2, 14-2 GPAC) punched their ticket to the 2023 Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Championship match with a four-set victory over No. 15-ranked Midland (15-11, 10-6 GPAC) Wednesday night inside the Bultman Center. The Red Raiders won the blocking battle between the two best blocking teams in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) with 19 blocks.  
Midland jumped out to an early 3-1 lead tonight in the opening set, but a kill from Emma Westphal (So., Hull, Iowa) sparked an 8-2 Red Raider run that gave Northwestern the lead and momentum (13-10), as the Warriors used a time out. NWC would extend their lead to 18-13 as the two teams battled in a high-quality opening set and the Warriors used their second time out. Northwestern would lead 23-17, looking to be comfortably on their way to a set win. Midland would fight back, rattling off five-straight points, pulling within one at 23-22 NWC. Northwestern would take a set point at 24-22, but the Warriors would make it interesting at 24-23. A massive kill from Savonne Sterk (Jr., Lynden, Wash.) on the next rally would secure the set win, 25-23.
 
Blocks would be the momentum grabber for Northwestern in the second set, recording eight team blocks in the set. Tied at 5-5 in the second set, a massive 10-0 Red Raider run, spanning both Midland time outs, would effectively put the set away with NWC leading 15-5. With the score 17-7, the Warriors continued to show some fight and why they are now ranked No. 15 in the NAIA as a 6-1 run cut the Red Raider lead to five, 18-13. The Red Raiders would keep them at arm's length, extending the lead to 23-15. Despite three of the next four points going to Midland, Northwestern was at set point. Alysen Dexter (Jr., Urbandale, Iowa) gave Northwestern the 2-0 match lead with a kill, taking the set 25-18.
 
Midland came out in the third set with a chip on their shoulder as they looked to claw back into the match. Taking the first four points of the set, they would hold the early lead of 10-3. Following a time out, the Red Raiders would take another 10-0 run to draw even at 10-10. Midland would not be deterred despite the Raider run, as they would use an 8-3 run of their own to make it 18-13. Northwestern would pull within two points three different times in an attempt to fight back, but the Warriors would stay persistent and take four of the final five points of the set to send it to a fourth set, 25-20.
 
It would be the Red Raiders coming out to defend the home court in the fourth set, taking the early 4-1 lead. Leading 6-4, Northwestern used a five-point spurt to give a little distance at 11-4. Holding a 15-8 advantage, Midand went on a 5-1 run to pull within three. A kill from Westphal and a service ace from Jazlin De Haan (Jr., Orange City, Iowa) would quell the momentum Midland had gotten to take an 18-13 lead. De Haan would go on to pick up the final three kills the Red Raiders would need to secure the four-set victory over the Warriors and advance to the GPAC title match, winning set four, 25-21.
 
MATCH NOTES:
  • Zavyr Metzger set a new career-high with 12 blocks in the victory.
  • Emma Westphal also set a career-high with her nine blocks.
  • Northwestern tallied 19 team blocks in the win, one shy of their season-high set against Midland back on Sept. 23.
  • The win marks 11-straight for Northwestern and improves their record to 7-2 against top-25 opponents and their 10th home win of the season.
  • NWC won a strong defensive battle, hitting at a clip of .150 to Midland's .126.
  • Both teams recorded five service aces; NWC was led by two from Jazlin De Haan.
  • Joining the block party was also Macay Van't Hul with her seven blocks.
  • De Haan notched 14th double-double of the season and fourth-straight.
  • She recorded a match-high 17 kills along with 20 digs.
  • Alysen Dexter also recorded double digit kills with 13.
  • Logan Miller notched a team-high 22 assists with Liv Reitsma right behind her with 21.
  • Olivia Granstra led the team with her 22 digs, while Reitsma also added 15.
  • For Reitsma, it marks her sixth double-double of the season (21 assists, 15 digs).
  • Tonight marks just the second four-set match for NWC this season, improving to 2-0 in them with both being against top-25 opponents.
  • It's the second win over Midland this season for the Red Raiders.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Macay Van't Hul
Up Next: The Red Raiders will have a rematch with No. 4-ranked and No. 2-seed Concordia (Neb.) inside the Bultman Center on Saturday, November 11 at 7:30 p.m., following a full day of basketball on campus.
Don't forget to follow Northwestern College Athletics on Facebook @nwcraiders, Twitter @nwcraiders, and Instagram @nwcraiders! #RaidersStandOut
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