ST. PAUL – The University of Northwestern knocked off the top seed in its NCAA Tournament opener, defeating 13th-ranked Nebraska Wesleyan University 3-1 (25-22, 23-25, 25-21, 25-20). The Eagles, now 24-10 overall, will play the winner of Augsburg College vs. Cornell College on Friday at 4:30 p.m. in Schoenecker Arena at the University of St. Thomas.



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While the Eagles finished well, UNW didn't get off to the greatest start, trailing the Prairie Wolves early in Set 1 at 6-2. Northwestern called its first timeout having netted just one kill on its first 10 attempts, looking timid on both offense and in its passing. The attacking picked up, and kills from Faith Vander Galien (Chanhassen, Minn./Southwest Christian) and Lindsey Peterson (Sheffield, Iowa/West Fork) brought the Eagles within two at 12-10. The deficit remained at two until UNW got three consecutive points on a Cari Miller (West Des Moines, Iowa/Valley) kill, an attacking error by Nebraska Wesleyan, and a Lizzy Potratz (Oshkosh, Wis./Valley Christian ) ace that evened the score at 16-16. All three hitters – Miller, Vander Galien, and Peterson – continued to gain confidence throughout the set. Vander Galien's fourth kill of the round gave the Eagles their first lead of the day at 19-18 before a 7-2 run had UNW ahead 21-18. Vander Galien and Leesa Hulstrand (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie) teamed up for key blocks to make it 24-18, but Nebraska Wesleyan wasn't done yet as the Prairie Wolves put up four straight points driven by solid back row defense. Northwestern, needing just one point to win the set, got a big kill from Peterson on the left side to win the set 25-22. UNW hit .189 in the round, getting 12 kills from the Peterson-Vander Galien-Miller trio. Both Jackie Foster (Charles City, Iowa/Charles City) and Hallie Mueth (Sheffield, Iowa/West Fork) had six digs for the Eagles.

Set 2 was one that Northwestern would've regretted had the Eagles suffered a loss. Leading 18-12, Nebraska Wesleyan came back to tie the score at 20-20 before winning the set 25-23. The Eagles had a two- to three-point rolling buffer in the early goings, jumping out to an 8-4 buffer on Lizzy Jonas (Neenah, Wis./Valley Christian )'s ace. Miller and Vander Galien continued to be good hitting options outside of Peterson for UNW, who was keeping the Prairie Wolves at bay with a 15-11 advantage that expanded to six points. Nebraska Wesleyan used three straight points to make it 18-15 in UNW's favor, but then added a block and another kill to come within a point at 18-17, marking the closest margin of the set since 5-4. Makayla Westphal, who made an impact with several long runs thanks to her jump serve, finally put a ball out to end the Prairie Wolves' five-point run. The first tie of the set came at 20-20 with another knot at 21-21. Looking up at a 23-21 Nebraska Wesleyan lead, Eagles head coach Beth Wilmeth called a timeout, helping the regional tournament's No. 8 seed get back into the set at 23-23 to prompt a timeout from the other bench.  Northwestern came out of the timeout with a hitting error before a Wolves block ended the set 25-23 and equalized the match score at 1-1.

Northwestern and Nebraska Wesleyan traded points back and forth in the third set, with neither team being able to establish a run as only a point or two separated the two teams as the points total went over 10. After a 9-9 tie, Hallie Peterson came up with a key block and added UNW's sixth ace to spur a three-point spread at 16-13. Wilmeth had to call a timeout when the Prairie Wolves matched the Eagles at 16 before it was back to a one-point set at 18-17 and 19-18. Wesleyan called timeouts when trailing 21-18 and 23-20 before a Northwestern block and a hitting error on the other side gave Northwestern a 25-21 set lead.

Northwestern drastically improved from its -.040 Set 2 hitting rate with a .208 mark in the third round, but Nebraska Wesleyan had improved its attacking percentage with every set. Peterson and Vander Galien were both at double-digit kills with Miller close behind at nine as both Peterson and Lizzy Potratz (Oshkosh, Wis./Valley Christian ) were at 20 digs. Owning a 2-1 lead in the match, the Eagles had less kills, digs, and blocks than the Prairie Wolves.

Nebraska Wesleyan picked up the first point of the fourth set, but Northwestern followed with a five-point tear thanks to two kills from Peterson. To no one's surprise, the Wolves came back to tie the score at 5-5, but a Miller kill and Jonas ace put UNW ahead at 10-7. Cue another tie, this time at 14-14 before the Eagles made their final push, winning five of the next six points to lead 19-15. Nebraska Wesleyan put back to consecutive kills to get within two, but the Wolves' tank was nearing empty as back-to-back kills from Vander Galien got Northwestern to the needed 25 points to win the set and the match.

The Eagles won with less kills while UNW's 11 team blocks were just one fewer than that of Nebraska Wesleyan, who entered the match as the nation's leader in blocking. UNW finished with a .342 hitting rate in the fourth set to wrap up the day at .163, 13 points ahead of the Wolves.

Peterson and Vander Galien both finished with 15 kills, with Peterson digging 23 balls and Vander Galien pacing the Eagles with at least partial credit in six blocks. Miller, who has been stellar in past NCAA Tournament appearances for Northwestern, didn't disappoint, finishing with 12 kills on 27 attempts (.296). The Eagles' back row was equally impressive – Potratz added 27 digs with Mueth and Foster at 17 and 15 respectively.

Four different Prairie Wolves hit double digits for kills. Katelyn Walsh paced her team with 13 and a .448 hitting rate. Mackenzie Ashton had 28 digs to lead all players.

The win is Northwestern's second NCAA Tournament victory in the last five years and the second win for the Eagles over an American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top 25 team this season. Friday's opponent – either Augsburg College or Cornell College – won't be any easier in the regional bracket's second round. Augsburg was ranked 18th in the last AVCA poll while Cornell received 48 votes in the same survey.