ST. PAUL, Minn. - The annual Friday night home opener in the Kathryne Pals Legacy Invitational is always an electric match for the University of Northwestern Volleyball team, and this year's was no different. For the second-consecutive year and the seventh time in the past eight fall seasons (excluding the spring Covid season), the opponent in the Friday night match was neighboring Bethel University. And just as it did each of the last three times, UNW won in a sweep in front of a packed Ericksen Center crowd. After a competitive first set, the Eagles pulled away for a convincing win in the second and dominated the third, winning 25-20, 25-16, 25-13.
To the delight of those clad in purple, Northwestern scored the first two points of the match, including an emphatic block from
Miranda Wyatt (Manhattan, Mont./Manhattan Christian) and
Norah Jaeb (Plymouth, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong), who were brick walls at the net. Bethel was able to recover and take a 4-3 lead, but three
Ana Egge (Rapid City, S.D./Rapid City Christian) kills put UNW back in front. The Royals edged back in front, 10-9, but solo blocks by Jaeb and Wyatt, plus an
Elese Paplow (Lakefield, Minn./Jackson County Central) ace, gave the Eagles a three-point advantage and ignited the crowd. The home team went up three after a
Libby Weckman (Shakopee, Minn./Southwest Christian) ace and never looked back en route to the 25-20 win. Egge, Jaeb, Wyatt,
Anna Olsen (Randolph, Minn./Randolph) and
Anja Jarchow (Luverne, Minn./Luverne) each logged kills as Weckman and
Addeson Jenniges (Walnut Grove, Minn./Westbrook-Walnut Grove) spread the ball around to UNW's bevy of power hitters to close out the frame.
After a strong closing stretch in set one, the Eagles came out firing in the second. Wyatt had two kills and a block as the hosts raced out to a 5-1 advantage. BU was able to close the gap to just a point at 11-10, but Wyatt, Egge and Jaeb calmed the seas with emphatic kills to keep UNW in front. An
Alana Costello (Mead, Colo./Mead) ace made it a four-point lead, and a 5-0 run moments later, including another ace--this time from
Rylee Kennedy (Altura, Minn./Lewiston-Altura)--ended any hopes the Royals had of stealing the set. A Wyatt kill and block, with help from Jaeb, ended the frame with Northwestern on top, 25-16.
After another momentum-filled finish to a set, the Eagles imposed their will on Bethel in the third set. Wyatt, Egge and Jaeb continued to overpower the Royals, perhaps fatigued after defeating Lawrence University 3-1 in the previous match of the day, to the tune of an 18-7 score. With all but the final score decided, Weckman once again aced the Royals and
Emma Sip (Rogers, Minn./Rogers) picked up the first kill of her career. Olsen and Jarchow closed out the match with back-to-back kills and a dominant, 25-13 set win to clinch the match.
In case it wasn't clear from how many times they were mentioned in this recap, the trio of Egge, Wyatt and Jaeb put on a show, combining for 41 of UNW's 59 points. Egge produced a game-high 14 kills on .481 hitting, adding six digs and a pair of blocks. Wyatt hit a blistering .643 on her way to 10 kills and six blocks, but wasn't even Northwestern's top hitter as Jaeb hit .692 with nine kills and five blocks. Jenniges led the team with 21 assists, while Weckman chipped in 15 and a pair of aces. Costello logged an ace and a team-high seven digs, and Paplow finished with five digs and an ace.
The Eagles will have a quick turnaround before their second outing in the Kathryne Pals Legacy Invitational, as they are scheduled to begin the second and final day of the event with a match against Lawrence, who defeated UW-Platteville in four sets in game one on Friday, and lost in four to Bethel in game two. First serve is scheduled for 11:00 AM in the Ericksen Center.
