ST. PAUL, Minn. – No. 5 University of Northwestern Volleyball hosted University of Wisconsin-Superior on Saturday for the 2022 UMAC Tournament Championship match. The top-seeded Eagles swept the Yellowjackets to clinch their
10th tournament title in the past 11 years and punch their ticket to the NCAA DIII national tournament.
With the win, UNW improved to 30-2 on the season. Against conference opponents, the Eagles not only won all 16 matches this year but won all 48 sets played, sweeping every match 3-0.
In Saturday's title match, the Eagles won the first four points of the first set to take an early lead. The Yellowjackets rallied but UNW took three in a row to go up 8-4. UWS tied the set up at 10-10, but then the Eagles proceeded to win six of the next seven points to take a 16-11 lead. Superior rallied to cut their deficit to three down 18-21, but Northwestern won four of the next five to take the opening set 25-19. The Eagles hit .394 in set one while holding the Yellowjackets to .073 hitting.
In the second set, Superior took an early 6-2 lead. UNW rallied to tie the match up at 9-9 and then took a 10-9 lead, but the Yellowjackets took back the lead up 11-10. Northwestern won two in a row to retake the lead 12-11 and, though UWS would tie them and keep pace, UNW never gave the lead up again in the set. A three-point run a while later gave the Eagles some breathing room up 21-16. The Eagles and Yellowjackets went on to trade points back and forth until Northwestern reached set point up 24-19. Superior was able to hold off UNW for two points, but a kill by
Kiera Brown (Columbia Falls, Mont./Columbia Falls) gave the Eagles the 25-21 second-set win to go up 2-0 in the match.
One set away from completing an incredible 48-set sweep of UMAC opponents on the year, the Eagles looked to close out the match quickly. The Yellowjackets, however, were not about to go quietly. UWS took another early set lead, this time going up 5-3 in the third. Northwestern rallied to tie the set thrice in a row at 5-5, 6-6, and 7-7, but Superior proceeded to win seven of the next nine points to take a 14-9 lead. Undaunted, the top-five nationally ranked Eagles answered by winning seven of the next nine points to tie the match at 16-16. UWS won the following point to go up 17-16, but Northwestern then fired off seven-consecutive point wins to take a 23-17 lead. UWS managed to get two more points, but two kills by
Ari Schmidt (Albany, Minn./Holdingford) sealed the 25-19 set win and the 3-0 sweep for the Eagles in the championship match.
Brown had four blocks for the Eagles in the match, surpassing 300 in her collegiate career.
Marley Aune (New Brighton, Minn./Avail Academy) had five total blocks to lead the defensive front.
Marylyn Schroyer (Ft. Collins, Colo./Ft. Collins) had 23 digs to lead the Eagles' backcourt.
Abby Glanzer (Brandon, S.D./Sioux Falls Christian) was named the UMAC Tournament MVP and led UNW with 15 kills and 16.5 points in the championship match. Schmidt followed with 13 kills on .423 hitting.
Felicia Luther (Victoria, Minn./Southwest Christian) had a team-high 22 assists with
Grace Strickfaden (Norwood-Young America, Minn./NYA) following with 20. As a team, Northwestern hit .266 while holding UW-Superior to .091 hitting.
Up next, No. 5 Northwestern will find out where they will be playing their NCAA Regional matches. The
NCAA DIII Selection Show airs live on Monday, November 7, at 12:00 P.M. Central Time.
