Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Northwestern College Athletics

Northwestern College
HOME OF NORTHWESTERN RED RAIDERS ATHLETICS
HONORING CHRIST THROUGH EXCELLENCE IN ATHLETICS
Nike
vb-recap-iwu-naiachamp-231205
3
Winner Indiana Wesleyan (IN) IWU 38-0
2
Northwestern NWC 31-3
Winner
Indiana Wesleyan (IN) IWU
38-0
3
Final
2
Northwestern NWC
31-3
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 5 F
Indiana Wesleyan (IN) IWU 20 25 13 25 15 (3)
Northwestern NWC 25 20 25 17 10 (2)

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

Five-Set Battle Sees Raiders Fall in National Championship

Northwestern advanced to the title match for the first time in program history

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – In a battle between the top two seeds of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) tournament, the top-ranked Northwestern Red Raiders (31-3, 14-2 GPAC) and No. 2 Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats (38-0, 18-0 Crossroads) each entered the night looking for their program's first national championship. A thrilling matchup saw the Wildcats erase a 2-1 deficit to capture the Red Banner.

Indiana Wesleyan began the match with a 5-2 lead, but the Red Raider crowd energized the top-ranked Northwestern squad, who went on a 5-0 run to take a 7-5 lead, with three of those points coming from the arm of Jazlin De Haan (Jr., Orange City, Iowa). After the Raiders opened up a 10-7 advantage and forced an IWU timeout, Northwestern continued their strong play toward a 17-12 lead thanks to a service ace for Emmy Wedgbury (Jr., Cedar Falls, Iowa). Later in the set, Alysen Dexter (Jr., Urbandale, Iowa) sent two attacks down to get to set point, as the Raiders won 25-20.

Northwestern went on the attack to start the second set, scoring the first two points on a kill by Zavyr Metzger (So., Larchwood, Iowa) and a Dexter service ace, but the Wildcats countered to push ahead 7-5. Indiana Wesleyan made things difficult for the Raiders, leading 15-10 out of the media timeout, and built up to a 17-10 lead. Northwestern kept it interesting, coming within three at 19-16, but ultimately dropped the second set 25-20.

In a third set that was highlighted by a dominant .525 hitting efficiency for the Raiders, Northwestern pulled back ahead to take a 2-1 set lead. The decibel level in the Tyson Events Center reached its peak as Northwestern started the third frame with an 8-0 service run by Liv Reitsma (So., Papillion, Neb.), as the Raiders eventually led by as many as 10 (11-1) on three-straight side outs. Despite Indiana Wesleyan scoring eight of the next 12, Northwestern scored five of the next eight to force a Wildcat timeout up 20-11. Out of the break, De Haan put down four kills in the final five Northwestern points to close out the set, 25-13.

The Raiders had to battle in the fourth set, ultimately falling 25-17 in a set that saw Indiana Wesleyan hit .283. Despite falling behind early, the Raiders came within five on an Emma Westphal (So., Hull, Iowa) kill from Logan Miller (Fr., Jefferson, S.D.). It was the Wildcats, however, that prevailed to send the match to a winner-take-all fifth set.
The final set was a battle between two teams vying to make program history. Northwestern and Indiana Wesleyan traded points through the first 14 rallies, as the Raiders took a 7-6 lead on a service ace from Olivia Granstra (Jr., Sheldon, Iowa), but the Wildcats eventually went up 12-8, forcing Northwestern to use its second timeout. Despite a De Haan kill to put the Raiders within four, the Wildcats emerged victorious for their first NAIA title.

GAME NOTES
Don't forget to follow Northwestern College Athletics on Facebook @nwcraiders, Twitter @nwcraiders, and Instagram @nwcraiders! #RaidersStandOut
Print Friendly Version