Sioux City, Iowa — Anna Wedel put down a match high 14 kills in leading No.2 Northwestern to a dominate 3-0 sweep (25-13, 25-13, 25-10) over Martin Methodist (Tenn.) in a pool B opener for both teams.
Northwestern, the top seed in pool B, is 1-0 in pool play, 29-1 overall; the Red Hawks are 0-1 in pool play, 27-9 overall.
Playing in their first match since Nov.9, Northwestern trailed just once in the match (1-0 in set two) and showcased why they are the championship’s second overall seed. The Red Raiders hit .384 for the match, limited Martin Methodist to a negative hitting percentage (-.018) and held the advantage in blocks (8-5), aces (5-2) and digs (63-44).
Wedel hit .636, totaling 14 kills in 22 attempts with no hitting errors, while also putting up a match-high 18 digs. This was the junior’s 13th double-double of the season. A.J. Kacmarynski added 10 kills and seven digs, hitting for double figures for the 10th time this season. Mackenzie Fink (8 kills), Emily Van Ginkel (5 kills) and Bekah Horstman (5 kills) were the other top hitters.
Northwestern scored five of the first six points and led 9-4 in the first set following a successful attack from Kacmarynski. The Red Hawks came back to get within four (14-10) but Head Coach Kyle Van Den Bosch’s squad closed with an 11-3 run, scoring the final four points on kills by Wedel (2), Lacey Wacker and Horstman.
Set two was close early, with Northwestern holding an 11-8 lead until Kacmarynski triggered an 8-0 run to put her team in front 19-8. The junior began the surge with a kill and then served the next seven points, aided by kills from Horstman and Wedel. Van Ginkel put the finishing touch on set two with a kill, assisted by Wacker, as Northwestern won the set 25-13.
The Red Raiders started fast in set three, racing out to a 9-3 lead following three kills from Kacmarynski and one from Fink. Leading 14-6, Northwestern outscored the Red Hawks 11-4 to close out the set and match, 25-10.
Northwestern hit .378 in set one, .290 in the second and .484 in the final set while holding Martin Methodist to a negative percentage over the final two sets. Wacker directed the offense with 41 assists and eight digs while Emily Strasser totaled 10 digs and two aces.
Martin Methodist was led by Rebecka Cronin with seven kills.
