ST. PAUL, Minn.- The University of Northwestern Volleyball team found out on Tuesday afternoon that they were ranked #3 in the AVCA's Top 25 National Poll. On Wednesday, the Eagles had their first two chances to defend that ranking and they did just that. Northwestern defeated North Central 3-0 in the afternoon and (RV) Saint Benedict 3-1 in the evening.
Game One: North Central
The Eagles moved to 12-0 in UMAC play by defeating the visiting Rams. There are only two more UMAC regular season games left as UNW continues to close in on yet another UMAC Regular Season Championship.
The Eagles, playing inside their home gym, hit .311 in the win over the Rams. However, the story was the Eagles' defense as they only allowed North Central to hit -.010 on the night. UNW's defense combined for 60 digs and 14 total blocks in the winning effort.
The Eagles were in control of this match from start to finish, winning each set by nine points or more (25-12, 25-12, 25-16).
Grace Moravchik (Mason, Wis./Ashland) led the UNW offense with 12 kills, four digs, and a .550 hitting percentage.
Abby Glanzer (Brandon, S.D./Sioux Falls Christian) and
Ari Schmidt (Albany, Minn./Holdingford) joined the freshman with double digit kills. Glanzer had 11 on the evening (including six digs and four blocks) and Schmidt had 10.
Grace Strickfaden (Norwood-Young America, Minn./NYA) had a huge night setting things up for the Eagles and finished with 30 assists and eight digs.
Marylyn Schroyer (Ft. Collins, Colo./Ft. Collins) and
Hannah Rich (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North) were tasked with anchoring things for the Eagles' defense (as per usual) and Schroyer racked up 15 digs while Rich finished with 11.
Game Two: (RV) Saint Benedict
For the 11
th time this season, #3 Northwestern played against a team who is also either ranked in the AVCA Top 25 or receiving votes in said poll. After tonight's win over the Bennies (who are receiving votes in the national poll) the Eagles now have a 9-2 record in those games.
Fans entered the Ericksen Center on Wednesday night ready to see a tightly contested, competitive match between two teams that are making noise in the national polls. However, in the first set, that was not what transpired.
The Eagles came out firing on all cylinders and played great volleyball to win the first set by a wide margin. The score was 16-12, in favor of the home team, before UNW rattled off nine straight points to win the set 25-12.
Ari Schmidt (Albany, Minn./Holdingford),
Abby Glanzer (Brandon, S.D./Sioux Falls Christian),
Marley Aune (New Brighton, Minn./Avail Academy), and
Grace Moravchik (Mason, Wis./Ashland) all had kills during that Eagle scoring run.
The second set was exactly what fans had been expecting when they came to the Ericksen Center on Wednesday night. It was a tightly contested, competitive set that saw the Bennies win 25-21 and pull the match even at 1-1.
The third and fourth sets would revert back to the script that the first set followed as the Eagles would cruise to victories to win their 25
th match of the season. UNW won set three 25-13 and set four 25-16.
Abby Glanzer (Brandon, S.D./Sioux Falls Christian),
Ari Schmidt (Albany, Minn./Holdingford), and
Marley Aune (New Brighton, Minn./Avail Academy) made up the trio of Eagles to finish in double digit kills in the win. Glanzer, the reigning UMAC Offensive Player of the Week, turned in another big performance finishing with 20 kills, seven digs, and three blocks. Schmidt ended with 14 kills and Aune added 10 kills.
Hannah Gadient (Goodhue, Minn./Goodhue) led the Eagles with 22 assists and
Grace Strickfaden (Norwood-Young America, Minn./NYA) paired her 18 assists with 14 digs.
Marylyn Schroyer (Ft. Collins, Colo./Ft. Collins) led her team with 20 digs and chipped in seven assists.
Up Next
On Friday night, the two top teams in the UMAC will square off in Morris, Minnesota. Starting at 7:00pm, the Eagles will take on the Minnesota-Morris Cougars in a game that will decide the regular season champions. The Eagles are 12-0 in UMAC play and the Cougars are 11-1 with their only loss coming to Northwestern. UNW would clinch the Conference Championship with a win.
