SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Saturday afternoon, the (RV) University of Northwestern Volleyball team faced its toughest test yet this season, squaring off with No. 10 East Texas Baptist University in the final game of the Trinity National Invitational. The Tigers proved their ranking is no fluke, sweeping UNW in straight sets, although the final two were as tight as it can possibly get.
ETBU made it clear from the start of the match that it was not messing around, scoring the first seven points of the opening set. The closest the Eagles were able to get was six points, despite going on a 4-0 run spearheaded by two blocks and a kill from
Marley Aune (New Brighton, Minn./Avail Academy). The Tigers would win the first set by the biggest margin of the day, 25-19.
Northwestern came out with some fire in the second set, quickly taking a 4-0 lead that turned into 7-2. Aune continued to excel on both sides of the net, while
Anja Jarchow (Luverne, Minn./Luverne) added a couple of kills herself. The pair continued to cook and
Ella Bourne (Clara City, Minn./MACCRAY) added a pair of aces as UNW maintained a 5-6 point lead, but a 6-0 surge by East Texas Baptist tied things up at 16. A service error and a block by
Miranda Wyatt (Manhattan, Mont./Manhattan Christian) and
Ana Egge (Rapid City, S.D./Rapid City Christian) put the Eagles back in front by two, but ETBU scored the next four to take the lead. Northwestern stole it right back as Wyatt logged back-to-back kills and
Anna Olsen (Randolph, Minn./Randolph) added another, but another 4-0 Tigers run produced set point. UNW scored the next two points to make things interesting, but ultimately suffered a 23-25 defeat.
Even after the heartbreaking loss in set two, the Eagles bounced back in impressive fashion to begin the third. Aune had two early kills and an ace to lead Northwestern to a 9-3 lead, but East Texas Baptist once again responded, scoring eight of nine to move ahead, 11-10. UNW scored the next four thanks to a couple of Wyatt blocks (assisted by Olsen and Jarchow), and the lead grew to 19-13 as Olsen aced the Tigers. Northwestern could never get comfortable or complacent, though, as ETBU scored six-in-a-row to tie the set at 19-all. The Eagles reached set point at 24-22 thanks to two Aune kills and a
Mikayla Wilber (Coon Rapids, Minn./Coon Rapids) ace, but as they did so many times, the Tigers went streaking, scoring four straight to stun UNW and end the match with a 26-24 win.
Aune led the Eagles with nine kills, six blocks and an ace on .600 hitting. After the tournament concluded, she was named to the All-Tournament Team. Wyatt finished with six kills and six blocks, while Olsen and Egge tallied three and two blocks, respectively. Olsen also picked up an ace, as did Wilber. Bourne racked up two aces, while
Addeson Jenniges (Walnut Grove, Minn./Westbrook-Walnut Grove) posted a game-high 22 assists.
Grace Moravchik (Mason, Wis./Ashland) led the team with nine digs, while
Hannah Rich (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North) contributed seven.
Northwestern will return to the Midwest for its final multi-team event of the regular season next Saturday, taking on St. Catherine and UW-Oshkosh in the UW-Oshkosh Triangular. First serve is scheduled for 12:30 PM against St. Kate's.
