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volleyball-naia-quarterfinals-recap-inside-2023
Tim Tushla
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Vanguard VU 29-2
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Winner Northwestern NWC 30-2
Vanguard VU
29-2
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Final
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Northwestern NWC
30-2
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Vanguard VU 25 23 22 14 (1)
Northwestern NWC 18 25 25 25 (3)

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

Volleyball Downs No. 10 Vanguard for First-Ever Trip to NAIA Semifinals

Northwestern picks up 17th 30-win season in program history

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The first match of the 2023 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Quarterfinals was a defensive battle between two top-10 teams. The No. 1-ranked Northwestern College volleyball team (30-2, 14-2 GPAC) dropped the opening set, but rattled off three-straight set victories to down No. 10-ranked Vanguard (Calif.) (29-2, 14-0 GSAC) to advance to their first-ever NAIA Semifinals appearance in program history.  
"This group has been resilient all year long and it was great to see that part of this team again today. We are excited to be playing in the semifinals, we've had a lot of really good teams here at Northwestern so it is great to be moving on this year," noted head coach Kyle Van Den Bosch. "This team has been really competitive all year in the big moments so it was great to see them prevail on this big stage!"
 
Vanguard jumped out to a 6-3 lead, but the Red Raider block swung momentum back as the two teams felt each other out. Knotted up at 8-8, Emma Westphal (So., Hull, Iowa) put Northwestern in front with a big swing. It was a tightly contested first set, neither team taking a clear advantage. With a service ace, the Lions opened up one of their largest leads of the match at 19-16. Later, out of a time out, the Red Raiders worked to get back into it but Vanguard would take the first set, 25-18.
 
"I thought after the first set we settled down and played really good volleyball," noted Van Den Bosch. "We started playing with a lot more confidence as a team."
 
Early in the second set, Alysen Dexter (Jr., Urbandale, Iowa) picked up her second service ace of the day as Northwestern got out to a quick 4-2 advantage. A big swing from Macay Van't Hul (Jr., Rock Valley, Iowa) as the Red Raiders spread out the offensive attack, building up a three-point lead at 8-5. Vanguard would use their first time out of the set with Northwestern leading 10-6, responding well after the opening set. Out of the break, after a kill from Zavyr Metzger (So., Larchwood, Iowa) on an over ball, the Lions rattled off six-straight points to claw back and take a 12-11 lead of their own.
 
A massive block from Metzger and Savonne Sterk (Jr., Lynden, Wash.) would knot things back up. A scrappy Lion back row would keep balls alive, but back-to-back points for the Red Raiders would put them back in front. The run would continue and the Raider students and faithful would pick up the noise volume in the arena as Vanguard used their second time out with NWC up 17-14. The Lions would not go away quietly, pulling back to make it 18-18.
 
A Lion service error and a Logan Miller (Fr., Jefferson, S.D.) ace gave Northwestern a late lead at 20-18. The Red Raiders would go on to rattle off three-straight points to take a 22-19 lead. Vanguard would pull within one but a massive kill from Dexter would put momentum on NWC's side. Again, it would be Dexter at match point with a big kill to even the match at 1-1 with a 25-23 set two victory.  
A massive cross-court kill for Jazlin De Haan (Jr., Orange City, Iowa) would open the third set, which would be followed by a Van't Hul and Sterk block for a quick start. The Red Raiders would give a reason for the sea of red to be loud, jumping out to a fast 4-0 lead. Leading 7-2, Vanguard took their first time out of the set with momentum squarely on the side of the Red Raiders. A continued varied attack from Northwestern kept the Lions defense on their heels in the third set, continuing to build their lead at 10-4.
 
Vanguard would battle their way back, pulling to within two at 12-10. Not rattled, the cool and composed Red Raiders would continue to play their game, as the block would continue to pave the way. Knotted up at 17-17, it would prove to be another set that would come down to the wire.
 
A massive kill from Sterk after a Red Raider time out would spark two-straight points and a Vanguard time out. A long rally out of the time out would end in a Lion attacking error and give Northwestern the 20-17 advantage. A four-point run would make it 21-17 and the Red Raiders would take their second-straight set with a 25-22 victory, leading the match 2-1.  
 
Another fast start for Northwestern in the fourth set, taking the first three points and a 5-1 lead early. Building on the momentum of the last two sets, the Red Raiders built up a 9-4 lead before Vanguard called time out. Benefited by Lion hitting errors, the Red Raiders would open up a 10-point lead at 17-7 as the energy in the building continues to rise. Northwestern would rattle off the final five points to clinch their first-ever spot in the NAIA Semifinals, taking the fourth set 25-14. The Red Raiders used a stifling .385 hitting percentage to put the match away in the fourth set.  
MATCH NOTES:
  • Northwestern advances to their first-ever NAIA Semifinals appearance with the 3-1 win over Vanguard.
  • NWC picks up their 30th win of the season (first since 2019) and extends their win streak to 16-straight matches.
  • It marks the 10th 30-win season under Kyle Van Den Bosch and 17th overall in program history.
  • Northwestern recorded 14 team blocks in the four-set victory, led by eight from Zavyr Metzger.
  • Jazlin De Haan notched her 18th double-double of the season with her 15 kills and 10 digs.
  • She led the match with her 15 kills, while Alysen Dexter also recorded 11 kills for NWC.
  • Liv Reitsma paced the team with her 19 assists, Logan Miller added 14.
  • Three Red Raiders notched double-digit digs, led by libero Olivia Granstra with her 19.
  • De Haan and Reitsma also both added 10.
  • Reitsma tallies her 10th doubled-double of the season (19 assists, 10 digs).  
  • Dexter also brings her season aces total up to 55 on the year with her two aces in the match.
  • NWC improves to 4-1 all-time against Vanguard, handing the Lions just their second loss of the season in their final year as members of the NAIA.
Up Next: Northwestern will advance to the NAIA Semifinals – 'the Fab Four' – on Monday evening at 5:00 p.m. with a rematch against Viterbo (Wis.) inside the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City.  

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