NORTHFIELD, Minn. – No. 4 University of Northwestern Volleyball competed in their ninth-consecutive road contest on Wednesday night as the Eagles battled the St. Olaf Oles. UNW fell for just the second time this season as St. Olaf earned an upset 3-1 win over the No. 4 team in the nation.
 
Though UNW has only played five of their 17 matches at home so far this year, the Eagles have earned a 15-2 record, won 11 matches by 3-0 sweep, and have risen to the upper echelon of the national polls.
 
The Eagles and Oles battled back and forth to 17-16 in the opening set with St. Olaf holding a one-point lead. At that moment, the momentum swung to the home team as the Oles won eight of the next nine points to take the opening set 25-17.
 
St. Olaf kept up the momentum into the second set, going up 22-13. The Eagles cut into the lead late but the Oles took set two 25-18 to go up 2-0.
 
Northwestern struck back in the third. The Eagles and Oles exchanged the lead seven times until UNW took an 18-15 lead off a three-point run. Northwestern never looked back as they earned a 25-20 win in set three.
 
The Oles flew out the gate in the fourth set, taking an early 6-1 lead. Undaunted, UNW battled right back to tie the set at 9-9. St. Olaf jumped ahead again with another 6-1 run to go up 15-10. Once again, the Eagles fought back and tied the set up at 18-18. Northwestern and St. Olaf raced neck and neck down the stretch but the Oles won three of the final four points to take the set 25-22 and complete the 3-1 upset.
 
Next up No. 4 Northwestern is a long-awaited return to the Ericksen Center. The Eagles host a pair of conference contests on Saturday, October 8, for their first home matches since September 13. UNW will take on UW-Superior at 1:00 P.M. before hosting Northland at 5:00 P.M.