MENOMONIE, Wis. – No. 7 University of Northwestern Volleyball competed in the UW-Stout Triangular on Saturday with matches against No. 9 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and hosts University of Wisconsin-Stout. The Eagles earned a pair of wins over the nationally ranked Warhawks and the home team Blue Devils to improve to 21-2 on the season.
 
Match One: No. 9 UW-Whitewater
 
The Eagles opened the UW-Stout Triangular against Whitewater. The Warhawks broke an 8-8 tie in the opening set with a four-point run to go up 12-8. UNW battled back, using a four-point run of their own to tie the match up 15-15. The Warhawks worked their way to a 22-18 lead, but the Eagles caught fire and won seven of the next eight points to rally and take set one 25-23.
 
In set two, Northwestern took a 9-6 lead with a five-point run. Whitewater answered by taking eight of the next nine to go up 14-10. The Eagles kept up the fight, but the Warhawks held their lead and took set two 25-19 to tie the match up 1-1.
 
Set three saw multiple lead changes as the Eagles and Warhawks battle back and forth. Trailing 17-18, UNW rattled off four in a row to go up 21-18. UWW kept fighting, but UNW never relinquished the lead as the Eagles went up 2-1 with a 25-21 set three win.
 
Though their backs were to the wall, the Warhawks never quit. Whitewater pushed the Eagles in set four in what would be the highest scoring set of the season so far for Northwestern. UWW took an 8-3 lead, but the Eagles tied it up 8-8 with a five point run. Both teams kept pace with each other for the rest of the set as neither took more than a two-point lead over the other. Whitewater had the first chance for set point up 24-23, but the Eagles won two in a row for their first chance at match point. The Warhawks responded with two points for a second chance at set point up 26-25. Once more, the Eagles won back-to-back points to go up 27-26. Facing their second match point, UWW fended off defeat to tie the match 27-27. The two teams traded points until UNW had their third chance for match point up 29-28. At that juncture, the Warhawks earned back-to-back kills for their third chance at set point. This time, an Eagle attack error clinched the 31-29 set win for Whitewater to send the match to a fifth set tiebreaker.
 
In the final set, the Eagles and Warhawks exchanged leads through the first few points. UNW used a three-point run to go up 8-6. The teams won points back and forth through the next seven points, after which Northwestern took two in a row to go up 13-10. Up by two, the Eagles and Warhawks again traded points back and forth, with Ari Schmidt (Albany, Minn./Holdingford) hitting two kills in those final four points to power UNW to a 15-13 win in the final set to take the match 3-2.
 
Schmidt led Northwestern with 20 kills on .318 hitting in the win. Abby Glanzer (Brandon, S.D./Sioux Falls Christian) was right there with her, recording 18 kills and 16 digs.
 
Grace Strickfaden (Norwood-Young America, Minn./NYA) had 31 assists for the Eagles. Felicia Luther (Victoria, Minn./Southwest Christian) followed with 23 in the match.
 
Marylyn Schroyer (Ft. Collins, Colo./Ft. Collins) led UNW with 33 digs. Marley Aune (New Brighton, Minn./Avail Academy) had six total blocks with three solo and three assisted to lead the Eagles defense up front.
 
Match Two: UW-Stout
 
Right after their five-set win, the Eagles took on triangular hosts Stout. The Blue Devils exchanged leads with UNW early with neither leading by more than two points. At 11-11, the Eagles won three in a row to go up 14-11. Up 18-15, Northwestern rattled off six points in a row to reach set point up 24-15. Stout kept on fighting and won the next five, but the Eagles sealed the win with a Glanzer kill to take the set 25-20 to go up 1-0.
 
In set two, the Blue Devils took a 15-12 lead. UNW proceeded to win five points in a row to retake the lead up 17-15. Stout rallied to tie the match up at 21-21 and again at 23-23, but another Glanzer kill and a Schmidt block won the set for Northwestern 25-23 to put the Eagles up 2-0.
 
Facing defeat down 2-0, the Blue Devils kept up the fight to extend the match. In set three, the Eagles led 22-17. Just three points away from getting swept, Stout rose to the moment and won six consecutive points to take a 23-22 lead. A Schmidt kill tied the set up 23-23, but the Blue Devils won the next two points to take the set 25-23 and sent the match to set four.
 
Still leading up 2-1, the Eagles looked to close out their second win of the day. Up 9-7, UNW gave themselves breathing room with a five-point run to go up by seven. The Eagles' lead went as high as eight points in the set at 19-11. Northwestern closed out the set with a 25-18 win to take the match 3-1.
 
Glanzer had a team-high 16 kills with 13 digs. Schmidt followed right behind with 15 kills on .333 hitting. Gabrielle Straub (Le Sueur, Minn./Le Sueur-Henderson) also had double-digit kills, recording 12 with 13 digs.
 
Luther led the Eagles with 24 assists. Strickfaden followed with 21.
 
Schroyer's 26 digs led Northwestern. Kendra Hardy's (Alexandria, Minn./Alexandria) three total blocks led UNW up front.
 
Up Next
 
No. 7 Northwestern travels to Waverly, Iowa on Tuesday, October 18, to take on a pair of opponents making noise in the national polls. The Eagle first take on hosts Wartburg College, who is receiving votes in the national polls, at 4:00 P.M. and then battle No. 23 Coe College at 6:00 P.M.