Game Time... The Red Raiders play host to the College of Saint Mary Flames this evening in non-conference volleyball action. Northwestern, ranked 24th, is 10-5 overall while CSM enters the match with a 7-8 mark. The match is set to begin at 7:30 pm.
Scouting Report... One of the top programs in the NAIA, the Flames and second-year Head Coach Amanda Hokenson are coming off a memorable 2006 season. CSM finshed with a 37-9 overall record and qualified for the national tournament where they made it to Elite Eight before falling to #3 Cal. Baptist. The Flames return two starters from last year's squad, senior Annie Jankowski and sophomore Amanda Cook. Jankowski earned All-American honors in 2006 as the setter for the Flames and will be looked to provide leadership for a young CSM squad. She is averaging 12.1 assists per game and has served up 18 ace serves this season. Cook is a 5-10 middle hitter who earned all-MCAC honors last year. She is averaging a team-high 4.3 kills per game. Dual sport athlete Katie Jo Lawton, a fifth-year senior, is second on the team with 2.7 kills per game. Freshmen Laura Blair and Veronica Barrientos average 2.6 and 2.2 kills respectively. Barrientos has a team-high 63 blocks this season.
Last weekend, the Flames knocked off a pair of ranked squads in #8 Hastings and #20 Doane at the Hastings Tournament. CSM finished 3-1 overall and two players, Jankowski and Cook, earned all-tournament honors. Both players took home conference player/setter-of-the-week honors as well.
Last Time Out... Like CSM, Northwestern went 3-1 at the Hastings Tournament last weekend. They defeated Park and #25 U. of Texas-Brownsville by 3-1 scores and ousted Central Methodist in three straight games. The Red Raiders then pushed the defending champions, National American, to five games in their final match of the weekend. Both Randa Hulstein and Rachel Gosselink earned all-tournament honors for their play.
Red Raider Notes... NWC comes in with a 10-5 overall record and ranked 24th in the last NAIA ranking. Boasting a balanced attack at the net, five players average over two kills per game. Bobbie jean Rich leads the team with 3.3 kills while Megan Meyer follows close behind at 3.1. Kaitlin Beaver (2.5), Hillary Hanno (2.5) and Randa Hulstein (2.4) round out the weapons at the net for NWC. Hulstein and Hanno have 55 and 52 blocks respectively. Rachel Gosselink, a 6-1 sophomore setter, is putting up 12.3 assists per game and earned GPAC Setter-of-the-Week honors last week. Senior Karrisa Davelaar (3.8 digs per game) and Janna Bloemendaal (2.6 digs) anchor the backline for NWC.
Next up... Northwestern wraps up the non-conference portion of their schedule this Friday as they play William Penn and Grand View at the Dordt Tournament. They resume GPAC play next week with three matches on the road, beginning with USF on Wednesday night.
2007 media guide
