Northwestern College earned its third straight win with a 3-0 sweep against Briar Cliff in a conference match played tonight in the Bultman Center. Individual scores were 25-22, 25-18, 25-21. The Raiders swept both matches against the Chargers and improve to 5-1 in the GPAC, 7-1 overall.
The Raiders hit a season-best .371 as a team and all five hitters put down at least seven kills in the balanced attack. A.J. Kacmarynski hit for double figures in her second consecutive match, sharing team-high honors with 10 kills. Makenzie Fink also totaled 10 kills and added six digs. Kacmarynski and Fink hit .500 and .412, respectively.
Game One: 25-22 win
Tied at seven early in the first set, Anna Wedel registered two kills and a hitting error against the Chargers put Northwestern in front for good. Successful attacks by Kacmarynski, Fink and Macay Van’t Hul triggered another 3-0 run and gave the Raiders a 14-9 advantage. Later up by a 20-13 count, Briar Cliff went on a 5-0 run and made it a one-point game, 23-22, only to have the Raiders score the final two points for a 25-22, first-set win.
Game Two: 25-18 win
Northwestern went on an 8-1 run to overcome a slow start and take an 11-7 lead. Kacmarynski and Wedel put away three and two kills, respectively, during the surge. Briar Cliff came back to tie it at 11 but the Raiders outscored BCU 11-1 to take control and win the second set, 25-18.
Game Three: 25-21 win
Down by one (17-16), Northwestern closed with a 9-4 run, scoring their final five points on kills by Kacmarynski (3), Fink (1) and Wedel (1).
More Numbers…
Emily Van Ginkel totaled nine kills and assisted on three blocks; Wedel and Van’t Hul added eight and seven kills, respectively
Lacey Reitz put up 41 assists and Emily Strasser had 11 digs
Briar Cliff hit .141, led by Toria Andre with 10 kills
