WHITEWATER, Wis. – The University of Northwestern Volleyball team drew a familiar opponent for the opening round of the NCAA Division III Volleyball Tournament, getting a chance to avenge a four-set, October loss to the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. The Eagles played without All-American outside hitter
Abby Glanzer (Brandon, S.D./Sioux Falls Christian) in the October loss, which inspired some hope that round two would be a different story. Unfortunately for Northwestern, the Blugolds were able to equal their serve advantage from the first meeting (13-2) and swept UNW, ending the Eagles' season at 24-9. It is the first time since 2013 that they have lost in the first round of the tournament, despite qualifying in every year since, with the exception of 2018 and 2020 (no tournament due to Covid).
Eau Claire got out to an early 4-1 lead in set one, but Northwestern answered with kills from
Anna Olsen (Randolph, Minn./Randolph) and
Abby Glanzer (Brandon, S.D./Sioux Falls Christian) to close the gap. UWEC was able to seize control; however, opening up an 11-4 advantage thanks to three consecutive aces. The aces would continue to be a theme throughout the match, and specifically the first set, as two more pushed UW-Eau Claire's lead to 17-7. UNW was able to get enough momentum to force a Blugold timeout after kills by
Ana Egge (Rapid City, S.D./Rapid City Christian) and Olsen in a 3-0 run made it 21-16, but Eau Claire scored the final four points to take the opener, 25-16. UWEC was able to ace the Eagles eight times in the set.
Glanzer picked up another kill and teamed with
Marley Aune (New Brighton, Minn./Avail Academy) on a block to keep the score even at two, but the Blugolds were able to edge ahead, 5-2. Kills by Glanzer and
Miranda Wyatt (Manhattan, Mont./Manhattan Christian) kept Northwestern within reach before another 3-0 run by UW-Eau Claire made it an 11-5 score. UNW continued to feed Glanzer and Wyatt in an attempt to claw back into the set, but UWEC was able to extend its lead to seven at 16-9. A 4-1 run that included kills from Glanzer, Egge and
Ari Schmidt (Albany, Minn./Holdingford), and an ace from
Addeson Jenniges (Walnut Grove, Minn./Westbrook-Walnut Grove), suddenly gave the Eagles some life as they trimmed the deficit to 17-13. Eau Claire was able to weather the storm; however, scoring five straight to regain control and make it 22-13. Wyatt added a couple more kills to her total before the Blugolds once again won by a 25-16 score.
Northwestern went back to Glanzer early in the third set as it tried to build some momentum. After all, UNW pulled off two reverse sweeps in last year's regional against Cornell and UW-Whitewater. UW-Eau Claire seemed determine to not let history repeat itself, as the Blugolds found their footing and pulled ahead, 7-3. Aune logged a kill and a block (with some assistance from Schmidt) to cut the lead to 8-6 but UWEC was able to answer right back. Two more Egge kills kept the Eagles afloat, and a 3-0 run courtesy of Wyatt and Aune kills, plus a
Mikayla Wilber (Coon Rapids, Minn./Coon Rapids) ace, brought Northwestern within two at 13-11. But try as UNW might, its opponent was able to score two points for every one scored by the Eagles. Northwestern mustered up one final push via a 3-0 spurt to trim the deficit to 22-18, but Eau Claire finished off the final three points to win the set, 25-18, and complete the sweep.
Unsurprisingly, Glanzer was the statistical leader in her final match in purple, tallying eight kills, nine digs and two blocks. Wyatt was phenomenal in her first National Tournament game, hitting .462 en route to seven kills and two blocks. Her classmate,
Ana Egge (Rapid City, S.D./Rapid City Christian), logged six kills in her postseason debut, while Aune and Schmidt (in her final career match) contributed four and three blocks, respectively. In addition to her aforementioned ace, Jenniges finished with 13 assists and eight digs, while senior
Grace Strickfaden (Norwood-Young America, Minn./NYA) had nine and five.
Northwestern and Head Coach
Beth Wilmeth say goodbye to one of the most accomplished senior classes in program history, if not the most accomplished. Glanzer, Schmidt, Strickfaden,
Hannah Gadient (Goodhue, Minn./Goodhue),
Abby Schlabach (Rapid City, S.D./Rapid City Christian) and
Kiera Brown (Columbia Falls, Mont./Columbia Falls) compiled an overall record of 120-21 and a conference record of 57-1 in their years in Roseville. They made the NCAA National Tournament in each of their four years, including a Final Four in 2022 and an Elite Eight in 2023. Not only will their banners hang in the Ericksen Center forever, but their impact on the program will last just as long.
