ST. PAUL, Minn. - Even with the cool November air settling in, there was a block party in St. Paul, Wednesday night. University of Northwestern Volleyball players combined for 18 blocks in a 25-16, 25-16, 25-21 sweep of fourth-seeded Crown College in the UMAC Tournament Semifinals, including eight from
Miranda Wyatt (Manhattan, Mont./Manhattan Christian) and six from
Norah Jaeb (Plymouth, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong). Wyatt's second of the night was the 300th of her career, joining 12 former Eagles in the prestigious club. But the most important stat of the night was the win, which gives top-seeded UNW a 22-5 record and the right to host No. 3 seed University of Wisconsin-Superior in the UMAC Championship on Saturday.
Northwestern was red-hot out of the gates against a Crown team that had played the Eagles tough in both regular season matchups. Wyatt and Jaeb each logged two kills and two blocks as the hosts took an 8-2 lead. The Polars were able to pull within two just before Wyatt recorded block No. 300, but a 7-1 run featuring three kills and an ace from
Ana Egge (Rapid City, S.D./Rapid City Christian) put UNW in control at 23-14. Kills from
Anja Jarchow (Luverne, Minn./Luverne) and Wyatt closed out the 25-16, opening-set win.
The momentum stayed with the home team as Northwestern scored the first six points of set two, capped off by a
Grace Moravchik (Mason, Wis./Ashland) ace. Crown found its footing and was able to keep the set competitive until Egge and
Anna Olsen (Randolph, Minn./Randolph) began to take over.
Libby Weckman (Shakopee, Minn./Southwest Christian) added an ace and a kill from her setter position, and Olsen and Wyatt finished off another 25-16 win with a tag-team block at the net.
To the surprise of no one who has watched the previous two matchups between the Eagles and Polars, the visitors were not about to go down in their first-ever UMAC Tournament match without a fight. Crown led 10-7 after a 3-0 run, but Northwestern was able to reclaim the lead after two kills and a block from Wyatt. A 4-0 spurt put the Polars back in front, but UNW was able to respond with a 4-0 run of its own, highlighted by three-consecutive Wyatt blocks, to edge ahead, 16-15. The score continued to yo-yo back-and-forth until a 3-0 run put the Eagles in front for good. Olsen recorded kills on two of the Eagles' final three points to complete the sweep with a 25-21 win.
Egge was terrific in the win, recording 17 kills, seven digs and an ace. Olsen and Wyatt both hit the ball efficiently on their way to nine kills, with the latter adding eight blocks, one shy of her season high, which came against Crown on October 3rd. Jaeb chipped in a career-high six blocks, while
Alana Costello (Mead, Colo./Mead) tallied 18 digs and an ace. Moravchik finished with nine digs and an ace, and Weckman produced team highs in assists (19) and aces (two).
Addeson Jenniges (Walnut Grove, Minn./Westbrook-Walnut Grove) added 16 assists.
The win advances Northwestern to the UMAC Tournament Championship, which it will host as the top seed. The Eagles will take on No. 3 seed UW-Superior, who earned a road sweep at No. 2 Minnesota Morris on Wednesday. UNW swept the season series with Superior, but the most recent match, in St. Paul, went to five sets. A win would give Northwestern a 19th UMAC Tournament Championship and a 15th NCAA Division III National Tournament appearance, including its seventh in as many opportunities. First serve in the Ericksen Center is scheduled for 6:00 PM on Saturday, November 14th.
