ST. PAUL, Minn. – No. 5 University of Northwestern Volleyball hosted Bethany Lutheran College on Wednesday for a UMAC Tournament Semifinal match. The top-seeded Eagles defeated the Vikings in a 3-0 sweep to advance to Saturday's championship, which will be hosted by UNW.
 
The Eagles didn't waste any time getting going as they won the first eight points played. Up 16-4, UNW saw their 12-point lead cut down to eight as the Vikings won four in a row. After trading points to make it 17-9, UNW would go on to have another run of eight-consecutive points to close out the set with a 25-9 victory.
 
In set two, BLC tied the match up early at 6-6. The Eagles would then win the next four points to go up 10-6. Another four-point run later would put Northwestern up 15-9. Up 18-13, the Eagles won the final seven points of the set to win 25-13 and go up 2-0 in the match.
 
Leading 9-8 in the third set, Northwestern proceeded to win four in a row to go up 13-8. The Vikings cut their deficit down to four points, trailing 12-16, but UNW took the next four to go up by eight. BLC landed two kills to get within six, but the Eagles won the final five points to take the set 25-14 and the match 3-0.
 
Abby Glanzer (Brandon, S.D./Sioux Falls Christian) led the team in kills with 10 on .304 hitting and added 11 digs defensively. Marley Aune (New Brighton, Minn./Avail Academy) hit .667 with eight total blocks and four kills. Felicia Luther (Victoria, Minn./Southwest Christian) had 18 assists with Grace Strickfaden (Norwood-Young America, Minn./NYA) following with 11. Marylyn Schroyer (Ft. Collins, Colo./Ft. Collins) had a team-high 15 digs. Kendra Hardy (Alexandria, Minn./Alexandria) had six kills to surpass 1,000 in her career.
 
UNW hit .277 while holding BLC to a -.069 hitting percentage. The Eagles had 11 team blocks to the Vikings three and 39 kills to their 19.
 
Up next, No. 5 Northwestern will host the University of Wisconsin-Superior on Saturday night for a UMAC Tournament Championship match at 7:00 P.M. in the Ericksen Center.