Game Time... The 15th-ranked Red Raiders will compete at the Dordt College Volleyball Invitational this Friday, Sept. 21, in Sioux Center. NWC will play just on the first day of the Invitational and will face William Penn (4:30 pm) and Grand View (7:30 pm).
Scouting Report... Both William Penn and Grand View represent the Midwest Collegiate Conference. The Lady Statesmen are 7-6 overall this season and have played one GPAC school so far this season, a 3-1 win back on Sept. 1. Head Coach Cyndy Gray is in her first year at WPU after spending the last 17 seasons as the coach of Oskaloosa High School. She inherits a squad that finished 16-27 in 2006 but returns four players who earned all-conference honors. Sheila Mercado, a junior setter from Puerto Rico, heads the list as she earned second team all-region and first team all-MCC accolades in 2006. This season, Mercado is averaging 10.7 assists per contest and has a team-high 15 ace serves. Senior Cohri Haas returns as the all-time leader in kills at WPU and earned honorable mention all-MCC honors in 2006. She leads this year's squad with 2.91 kills per game. Seniors Rachel Madany and Megan Tucker also earned all-conference honors last season. Madany, a 5-10 middle hitter, averages 2.2 kills and is second on the team with 24 blocks. Tucker, a defensive specialist, averages 2.51 digs per game. April Young, a 6-0 middle blocker, has been a force at the net so far this season, averaging 2.2 kills and 1.1 blocks per game.
Grand View enters the weekend with a 5-9 overall record and are 2-1 against the GPAC in 2007. They defeated Mount Marty on Sept. 8 but lost to both USF and Midland Lutheran. They are led by a middle hitters Lyndsey Lyon and Angie Creighton. Lyon, a 6-1 senior, leads the Vikings averaging 2.6 kills and 1.04 blocks per game. Creighton, a 6-1 junior, averages 2.4 kills and 1.2 blocks per contest. Setters Aubrey Anderson and Brianna Goodall average 3.4 and 5.1 assists per game. Goodall also has 19 ace serves and is serving better than 97%. Maddi Cutolo, a senior libero, averages 5.3 digs per game and is the reigning MCC Libero-of-the-Week.
Last Time Out... Northwestern swept College of St. Mary's last time out, 3-0, last Tuesday. Both Randa Hulstein and Karrisa Davelaar recorded 12 kills while Kaitlin Beaver added 10. Rachel Gosselink posted 45 assists and 10 digs and Janna Bloemendaal led the team with 16 digs.
Red Raider Notes... Five NWC players are averaging more than two kills per game, led by Bobbie jean Rich and Megan Meyer with 3.2 and 3.1 respectively. Along with Kaitlin Beaver (2.5), Hillary Hanno (2.50) and Randa Hulstein, NWC has plenty of balance in their offensive attack. Rachel Gosselink is averaging 12.4 assists per game and was the GPAC Setter-of-the-Week last week. Karrisa Davelaar and Janna Bloemendaal lead the back row with 3.7 and 2.7 digs per game.
Next up... Northwestern begins a difficult stretch next week as they play three GPAC matches, all on the road. They go to USF on Wednesday, followed by a weekend trip to Concordia and Hastings. NWC will return home to face rival Dordt College on Tuesday, Oct. 3.
2007 media guide
