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Match Reaction (Video): NWC Head Coach Beth Wilmeth

NWC-Wisconsin Lutheran Stats
NWC-Bethel Stats

ST. PAUL -- The Northwestern College volleyball team opened its 2012 campaign with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-20, 25-17) victory over Wisconsin Lutheran College in the ACR Homes Opener. The Eagles posted comebacks in both the second and third sets, but will have to play better in their 7 p.m. match against Bethel University, according to head coach Beth Wilmeth.

Three different NWC hitters netted seven kills in the match, including newcomers Kendra Korporal (Sumner, Iowa /Sumner-Fredericksburg) and Lizzy Potratz (Oshkosh, Wis./Valley Christian ). The Eagles hit .211 as a team, improving with each set. Potratz, a sophomore transfer from Spring Arbor University, came out of the gate hot while Miller steadily built up her kills count throughout the match. Korporal had a four-kill second set before adding three more kills in the third as Krista Stoltz (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial) tallied up 30 assists for the match.

Defensively, Lexi Bertsch (Andover, Minn./Meadow Creek Christian) led all players with 24 digs, while Miller and Lydia Palkert (Excelsior, Minn./Southwest Christian) each recorded four assisted blocks. As a team, Northwestern out-blocked its opponent 8-3.

Although the Eagles upped their game in the second match of the day against Bethel University, the Royals defense proved to be too much for Northwestern in the visitors' 3-0 victory (26-24, 25-20, 25-23). A packed Ericksen Center crowd saw just nine points separate the two teams throughout the three sets in a rematch of last year's NCAA Tournament opening contest.

Northwestern didn't hit as well against Bethel as it did versus Wisconsin Lutheran, evening out at .167 for the night. Stoltz had 33 assists, but the Royals had 53 kills as a team, compared to 39 for the Eagles. Korporal doubled her first-match performance with a 15-kill contest against Bethel, maintaining a .233 personal attacking percentage. Courtney Jonas (Neenah, Wis./Valley Christian) and Potratz both had six kills, but the Royals' libero, Val Smith, kept several balls alive, especially in the third and final set.

The 26-24 score in the first set went just as it sounded, with Bethel matching Northwestern, or vice versa, point for point down the stretch. After the Eagles led 16-13, neither team owned more than a two-point advantage for the rest of the set. Northwestern was on the top side of a 20-15 margin in the third set, but was outscored 10-3 en route to the loss.

Potratz had 17 digs for NWC, while Bertsch followed with 14. As a team, the Eagles put up 8.5 blocks.

Northwestern returns to the court right away again on Saturday morning as the Purple and Gold will play two more matches in the ACR Homes Volleyball Opener in the Ericksen Center. The Eagles are slated to face Grinnell College at 10 a.m. before wrapping up the weekend with a 2 p.m. match against Wisconsin-River Falls. Both matches will be streamed live (click here for link).