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-251206
0
Bellevue (NE) BU 29-5
3
Winner Northwestern NWC 32-3
Bellevue (NE) BU
29-5
0
Final
3
Northwestern NWC
32-3
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 F
Bellevue (NE) BU 25 19 18 (0)
Northwestern NWC 27 25 25 (3)

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

Northwestern Secures Spot in NAIA Semifinals

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Northwestern swept 7th-seeded Bellevue (Neb.) at the Tyson Events Center on Saturday to advance to the NAIA semifinals for the second time in school history. The Red Raiders racked up an impressive twelve aces, with many serving as turning points in the match.

NWC 3, BU 0 (27-25, 25-19, 25-18)
How It Happened
The first set saw Northwestern come out swinging, with Rylie Franken and Stella Winterfeld each landing early kills to keep things tight. Both teams traded points until it was 8-8, but then Liv Reitsma's 4-0 service run gave Northwestern a 12-8 advantage. The Bruins then responded with a 3-0 run of their own, which was stopped by Franken's kill at 15-13.

Despite Bellevue using both timeouts by 20-17, the Bruins nudged ahead, thanks to a kill by Eve Fountain and a few Northwestern errors, taking a 21-20 lead and later put the Raiders on the ropes at 24-22. But the Red Raiders fired back with a clutch service ace by Maggie Bloom and a Winterfeld kill to extend the set at 24-24. A pivotal ace from Nyah Potthoff pushed Northwestern forward, and Winterfeld sealed the set with a decisive kill at 27-25.

Into the second set, the Raiders surged ahead with Sidney Oostra's powerful serving, notching three-straight aces for an early 3-0 lead. Bellevue answered with a kill from Fountain, but Northwestern held firm, building on plays with kills from Franken and Winterfeld, set up by Liv Reitsma. The Bruins closed the gap to 7-6, however, Potthoff stepped up with two more aces, pulling Northwestern ahead to 10-6. Despite Bellevue's pushback, the Raiders closed the set on a high note with Reitsma's ace, finishing at 25-19.

In the third set, the Red Raiders dominated with a 25-18 win, showcasing strong defense and sharp attacks. They started with a three-point lead, highlighted by a Winterfeld kill and a Bellevue error. Zavyr Metzger made her presence felt with back-to-back blocks, extending Northwestern's lead to 6-1 and forcing Bellevue to call a timeout. The Bruins attempted to rally, cutting the lead to 9-7. The Raiders then answered with a pair of 4-0 runs that pushed their lead to 17-10, followed by consecutive aces from Potthoff to make it 21-13. With Northwestern at match point, Bellevue did not back down, going on a 3-0 run to make it 24-18. On the next play, Westphal send Northwestern to the semis with a clinching kill, securing the sweep.

MATCH NOTES:
  • Northwestern advances to the NAIA semifinals for the second time in program history and the second time since 2023.
  • The Raiders won via the sweep for the 24th time this season, tying the 2023 team for second-most all time.
  • Their 12 service aces marked the team's most this season.
  • Liv Reitsma became the eighth player in program history to record 3,000 career assists.
  • Reitsma dished out 14 assists and had two service aces.
  • Stella Winterfeld and Nyah Potthoff both recorded double-doubles.
  • Potthoff posted 18 assists, 14 digs, and five aces, while Winterfeld added 15 kills and 10 digs.
  • Sidney Oostra joined Potthoff with five service aces.
  • Oostra, Riley Franken, Zavyr Metzger, and Emma Westphal each totaled six kills.
  • Metzger had eight blocks on the night. She has had at least seven blocks in each match of the national tournament.
Up Next: Northwestern will meet Concordia or Providence on Monday with a trip to the national championship on the line. First serve is scheduled for 8:00 p.m.
Don't forget to follow Northwestern College Athletics on Facebook @nwcraiders, Twitter @nwcraiders, and Instagram @nwcraiders! #RaidersStandOut
Print Friendly Version