ST. PAUL, Minn.- On Friday night the UNW Volleyball team hosted a triangular inside an electric Ericksen Center. The #17 nationally ranked Eagles were dialed in from the word go, and won all six sets they played, sweeping UW-Lacrosse and Dubuque to improve to 6-1 on the season. The two wins marked six consecutive victories for Northwestern.

UNW started the triangular off in the afternoon in a "battle of the Eagles", taking on UW-Lacrosse. Set number one started off as a back and forth affair. A Gabriella Johnson kill for UW-Lacrosse tied the game at six. A service error then gave UNW the lead and the serve back. The serve went to junior Kendra Hardy (Alexandria, Minn./Alexandria), who did not give it up for quite some time. Gabrielle Straub (Le Sueur, Minn./Le Sueur-Henderson) had two kills, and Abby Glanzer (Brandon, S.D./Sioux Falls Christian) and Caitlyn Pruis (Sioux Falls, SD./Sioux Falls Christian) added one a piece as UNW stretched the lead up to 11-6. However, Lacrosse answered with four consecutive points of their own before Gabrielle Straub (Le Sueur, Minn./Le Sueur-Henderson) ended the run with a kill, off of a Sydney Schwitters (Clara City, Minn./MACCRAY) pass. Lacrosse took another point, to pull within one, and that was as close as set one would get. With Caitlyn Pruis (Sioux Falls, SD./Sioux Falls Christian) serving, the Eagles scored seven straight points to take control in set one. UNW would win the first set by a score of 25-16.

Set two started off much differently, with UW-Lacrosse jumping out to a commanding lead. However, during this early 2021 season, UNW has proven that they are never out of a set, and that was on display again in set number two. Lacrosse jumped out to a 11-3 lead after a serving ace from Jackie Oetterer. A serving error, and then a kill by Lacrosse on the ensuing point made the game 12-4. Then, Schwitters found Pruis who pounded home a kill, to give the serve back to UNW. The Eagles (the ones in purple and gold) would then climb back into the game with five consecutive points behind the serving of Straub. The set would then go back and forth as Lacrosse took a slim 18-17 lead into the late stages. UNW answered with kills from Hardy, Pruis, and Straub to take a lead that they would not squander. Northwestern won the second set 25-20 to take a 2-0 set lead.

Northwestern would jump out in front early in set three. A Glanzer kill would give UNW a 5-2 lead, and the hometown Eagles would not trail again in this set. Although the set would remain close throughout, UNW remained in control. Kiera Brown (Columbia Falls, Mont./Columbia Falls) and Kendra Hardy (Alexandria, Minn./Alexandria) combined for a massive block at the net that secured the set victory, and the 3-0 sweep over the opposing Eagles.

Gabrielle Straub (Le Sueur, Minn./Le Sueur-Henderson) and Abby Glanzer (Brandon, S.D./Sioux Falls Christian) led the offensive attack for Northwestern, as they eache finished with double digit kills for the game. Straub had 12 while Glanzer added 11. They each had double-doubles as well, as they each added 11 digs. Sydney Schwitters (Clara City, Minn./MACCRAY), coming off her UMAC Setter of the Week award, was essential as always, leading the way with 33 assists. Marylyn Schroyer (Ft. Collins, Colo./Ft. Collins), also coming off of a UMAC weekly award, had 23 digs to lead the team.

The Eagles would be back in action a few hours later as they prepared to face the Dubuque Spartans. With a raucous crowd cheering them on, the ladies put on another impressive performance. Schwitters set Glanzer up for a kill early on in the match and UNW jumped out to a 4-1 lead. The Spartans would pull within one, before the Eagles went on a tear. With Abby Glanzer (Brandon, S.D./Sioux Falls Christian) serving, the Eagles took control in the set scoring seven straight points. Glanzer, Hardy, and Brown all had kills during this run. The Eagle lead would never get below seven during the set, and UNW cruised to a 25-14 victory in the first set.

The second set was much tighter as neither team could extend a lead more than three points for the majority of the match. A Darby Hawtrey kill for the Spartans made it a 16-14 game in favor of the Eagles, before Straub powered one home to give the serve to Schroyer and the Eagles. Behind Schroyer's serving, the Eagles opened up a 20-14 lead as the packed Ericksen Center went crazy. The Eagles would stretch out their lead in the closing moments of the set, before Straub sent a laser right through the middle of the defense to give UNW a 25-18 win in set two, and pull them one more victory away from a perfect night.

The Spartans refused to go down without a fight as they jumped out to 6-1 and 7-3 leads. With freshman Glanzer serving, the Eagles rattled off four straight points and tied the game at seven. The third, and ultimately deciding set, went back and forth and was tied at 16 coming down the stretch. Schwitters then took the serve and UNW scored four straight points, with two of those points coming off of Glanzer kills. The Eagles would keep that lead and win 25-20 after a Hardy kill ended the game. UNW completed their second sweep of the night, and their fourth consecutive sweep overall.

Schwitters and Schroyer were dynamic in their roles once again. Schwitters had 35 assists, and Schroyer had 27 digs as the two leaders of the team played outstanding once again. Three Eagles had double digit kills led by Glanzer with 13, Straub with 11, and Hardy with 10. Straub had a second double-double on the day, finishing with 10 digs in addition to her offense.

The Eagles improved to 6-1 on the season, and will begin preparing for another challenge on Tuesday, September 14 at home against the College of Saint Benedict.