MORRIS, Minn. – The University of Northwestern Volleyball team returned to UMAC play Saturday after a brief detour into non-conference action earlier in the week, and took care of business with a 3-1 win at the University of Minnesota Morris.
Despite Northwestern's 70 (now 71) match UMAC winning streak, the win was anything but easy. Morris gave UNW everything it could handle throughout the match, and it began in set one. The teams traded small runs early in the opener, with the Eagles getting a pair of kills from
Marley Aune (New Brighton, Minn./Avail Academy) and two kills and a block from
Miranda Wyatt (Manhattan, Mont./Manhattan Christian). A 6-1 Cougars run put them in front, 19-16, but Northwestern was able to even the score at 19 after an Aune ace and a
Grace Moravchik (Mason, Wis./Ashland) kill. UMM punched right back, getting to set point at 24-21, but the Eagles were able to storm back and prevail, thanks to two kills and a block from
Ari Schmidt (Albany, Minn./Holdingford) down the stretch.
Despite the devastating set one loss, the Cougars came out hot in set two. The hosts raced out to an 8-3 lead in the blink of an eye, but UNW was able to calm the seas and tie the set at 10, thanks in large part to two blocks (along with Moravchik) and a kill by Wyatt. Another block and kill by Wyatt gave Northwestern a slight edge at 13-12, but Morris scored four of the next five to go ahead 17-14. UNW was able to tie it at 17, and briefly edge ahead, but a 5-1 run for the Cougars put them in the driver's seat once again with a 23-20 lead. The Eagles were undaunted, though, scoring the final five points, including three consecutive aces by
Grace Strickfaden (Norwood-Young America, Minn./NYA), to close it out, 25-23.
Although Northwestern had all the momentum after another emotional comeback in the second set, UMM would not go away quietly. The Cougars opened up a 4-1 lead that became 16-9 after a 9-2 run. UNW tried to claw back, but Morris had an answer each time, closing the set on a 9-3 run to take it, 25-14. It was the first time Northwestern had lost a set to a UMAC team since October 30, 2021.
The Eagles bounced back to take a 4-1 lead early in the fourth set after two straight blocks by the tandem of Aune and Schmidt, but UMM put together a 5-0 run to surge ahead. Kills from Aune,
Ana Egge (Rapid City, S.D./Rapid City Christian) and
Anna Olsen (Randolph, Minn./Randolph) put UNW back in front by a point, then Northwestern rattled off five straight shortly thereafter to move ahead, 14-9. The Cougars were able to trim the deficit to one on four separate occasions, but the Eagles were able to close them out, 25-22, to win the match 3-1.
Schmidt led the offensive effort with a game-high 11 kills and added six blocks on the defensive end. Egge finished with nine kills and three blocks, while Aune added eight and five, respectively. Wyatt logged a game-high eight blocks and six kills.
Mikayla Wilber (Coon Rapids, Minn./Coon Rapids) tallied a game-high 16 digs, with Moravchik adding 13 and
Hannah Rich (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North) 10. Strickfaden dished out 22 assists and chipped in three aces, while
Addeson Jenniges (Walnut Grove, Minn./Westbrook-Walnut Grove) finished with 15 assists herself.
The Eagles will return home on Tuesday night to take on Crown College. First serve in the Ericksen Center is scheduled for 7:00 PM.
