WHITEWATER, Wisc.- #6 University of Northwestern Volleyball continued the hardest stretch of their season on Saturday when they went up against two more nationally ranked teams. The Eagles played two nationally ranked teams last Saturday in Iowa and will play nationally ranked Gustavus Adolphus in St. Peter this upcoming Tuesday which will mark their fifth straight contest against a nationally ranked program. UNW split their matches on Saturday falling to #3 Wisconsin-Oshkosh 3-2 and defeating #16 Transylvania 3-0. The Eagles are currently 2-2 in their stretch against some of the top competition in the country.
Abby Glanzer (Brandon, S.D./Sioux Falls Christian) had a weekend to remember. Not only did the junior surpass the 1,000 career kills mark in the game against UW-Oshkosh (making her only the 11
th player in program history to accomplish this feat) but she was also named to the 2023 UW-Whitewater Invite II All-Tournament Team for her incredible performances in both matches this weekend.
Game One: #3 Wisconsin-Oshkosh
UW-Oshkosh entered the match against UNW on an incredible hot streak to start their season. They entered the contest undefeated at 11-0 and hadn't gone to five sets all season long. However, the Titans met their toughest test of the season when they squared off with the Eagles in a highly anticipated top ten matchup on Saturday.
The first four sets of this match were as evenly matched as could possibly be. Playing on a neutral court at UW-Whitewater, it was Oshkosh who won a tight first set 25-23. Followed by the Eagles responding with a 25-21 set two victory.
The Eagles then took the third set 27-25, needing a couple of extra points to put away the Titans. With their backs against the wall, the third ranked team in the country responded and grabbed a 25-22 win to force a fifth and decisive set.
In the winner-take-all fifth set, it was the team from Wisconsin that took the early lead and wouldn't let it go. UNW dropped the fifth set 15-8 and fell 3-2 to Oshkosh in a hard fought game.
Abby Glanzer (Brandon, S.D./Sioux Falls Christian) needed 21 kills to reach the 1,000 mark for her career and she got more than what she needed for the milestone. She finished with 24 kills on a .235 percentage to lead the Eagle offense.
Ari Schmidt (Albany, Minn./Holdingford) was incredibly efficient offensively finishing with 17 kills and hitting .485.
Grace Strickfaden (Norwood-Young America, Minn./NYA) and
Hannah Gadient (Goodhue, Minn./Goodhue) split up the setting duties with Strickfaden finishing with 29 assists and Gadient ending with 20.
Marylyn Schroyer (Ft. Collins, Colo./Ft. Collins) had 31 digs.
Game Two: #16 Transylvania
The Eagles battled hard but come up just short in their first game of the day, but mere hours later, against yet another ranked opponent, they responded in a big way.
The Eagles jumped out early in this match, taking the first set in dominating fashion 25-19. This was the most lopsided set of an otherwise tightly contested match.
UNW took the second set 25-22 and then went the distance in the third and final set, emerging victorious 26-24.
Abby Glanzer (Brandon, S.D./Sioux Falls Christian) was on fire once again, finishing with 24 kills for the second time on the day. However, with this match only lasting three sets, she finished with a blistering mark of 8.0 kills per set all while hitting an astonishing .440 percentage.
Ari Schmidt (Albany, Minn./Holdingford) hit .400 and once again finished with double digit kills, landing at 14 for the game.
Grace Strickfaden (Norwood-Young America, Minn./NYA) had 22 assists and
Hannah Gadient (Goodhue, Minn./Goodhue) had 15.
Marylyn Schroyer (Ft. Collins, Colo./Ft. Collins) had 24 digs and
Mikayla Wilber (Coon Rapids, Minn./Coon Rapids) added 10 of her own.
Up Next
#6 UNW's streak of five consecutive matches against ranked opponents will finally come to an end on Tuesday, September 20
th in St. Peter, Minnesota. The Eagles will travel to face off against #15 Gustavus Adolphus College starting at 7:00pm.
