Late Offense Propels Raiders to a Ranked Reverse Sweep
 
FREMONT, Neb. — Northwestern College emerged victorious in a tense five-set match against St. Thomas University, securing a 3-2 win with set scores of 20-25, 22-25, 25-20, 25-15, and 15-8. The Raiders' fourth-set attack percentage of .464 was a key factor in turning the match around.
 
The first set commenced with Northwestern taking an early 3-0 lead, highlighted by a service ace from Tierney Huss. Stella Winterfeld contributed significantly to the Raiders' scoring, recording multiple kills, including one at 15-14 to even the score. Despite Northwestern's initial advantage, the Bobcats fought back, tying the set at 14-14 with a block from Ana Clara Valentim do Vale. STU gained momentum through solid offensive plays, with Ranya Mehta sealing the set with a kill, resulting in a 25-20 victory for the visitors.
 
STU secured a narrow victory in the second set, edging out Northwestern with a 25-22 score. The set was marked by a series of exchanges, with Aubree Shields and Alexandra Bruno leading the offensive efforts for their respective teams. Shields recorded several key kills, contributing to Northwestern's attempts to maintain a lead, while Bruno's consistent performance, including multiple kills and a critical service ace by Isabel Narbutas, helped the Bobcats regain momentum. The set concluded with Ana Clara Valentim do Vale delivering the decisive point for STU following a timeout called by the Raiders.
 
The Raiders capitalized on a string of errors by the Bobcats to turn a close contest into a decisive victory in the third set. After falling behind 5-1, Northwestern responded with a series of kills, notably from Maddy Sampson and Stella Winterfeld, to close the gap. Sidney Oostra's back-to-back service aces and a strong block by Bella Sysa and Nyah Potthoff fueled a run that pushed Northwestern ahead 18-10. Despite a late rally by STU, including multiple kills by Alexandra Bruno, Northwestern closed out the set with a 25-20 win, aided by a final attack error from Ranya Mehta.
 
Northwestern capitalized on a series of St. Thomas errors and maintained momentum through consistent offensive efforts. Maddy Sampson and Bella Sysa each contributed early with key kills, keeping the scoreline competitive at 9-9. However, a pivotal run began with Halie Kapelke's kill at 13-13, followed by a block from Maddy Sampson and an ace from Madi Nemmers, extending Northwestern's lead to 17-13. Aubree Shields added crucial points with two kills, as the Raiders pulled away further. The home team sealed the set with a service ace by Sidney Oostra, concluding the set at 25-15.
 
The Red Raiders secured a decisive victory over STU in the fifth set, finishing with a 15-8 advantage. Stella Winterfeld contributed significantly with multiple kills, including the first point of the set and several others that helped build momentum. Nyah Potthoff was instrumental in setting up plays, assisting on numerous kills and delivering a service ace that extended Northwestern's lead to 6-3. Bella Sysa and Nyah Potthoff also fortified the defense with successful blocks, while the Bobcats struggled with attack errors. The set concluded with an attack error by Ranya Mehta, clinching the win for the Raiders.
 
Game Notes:

• Nyah Potthoff totaled 46 assists and seven digs.
• Stella Winterfeld had 20 kills in the match, while adding 13 digs.
• Maddy Sampson controlled the net in the middle with 10 kills and 3 blocks.
• Halie Kepelke had 10 kills with no errors from the right pin.

Up Next: The Raiders will continue play in Fremont, Nebraska on Saturday August, 29th where they will take on the 11^th ranked Missouri Baptist Spartans.
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