Northwestern at Southern Nazarene

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Game Time... The Red Raider volleyball team will travel to Omaha, Neb. to play in the College of St. Mary's Tournament on Saturday, Sept. 6. Northwestern, ranked seventh in the NAIA, is 5-0 overall, 1-0 in the GPAC and will play two matches on Saturday. They will play Southern Nazarene (Okla.) at 10:00 am followed by a showdown with third ranked Concordia (Calif.) at 1:00 pm.

Scouting Report... Southern Nazarene is part of the seven-team Sooner Athletic Conference. Head Coach Kevin Ingram is in his seventh season at the helm of the Crimson Storm program and led his team to their first conference title a few seasons ago. Last year, SNU finished 17-23 overall and tied for fourth in the SAC with a 6-6 record.

The Crimson Storm come into the tournament with a perfect 3-0 record and will face three GPAC teams at the Classic: Morningside on Friday and Northwestern and Hastings on Saturday. SNU knocked off Friends and Ottawa earlier this week by 3-1 margins. Erika Knowles had 18 digs in the first match and Janessa Dermer followed with 11. Morgan Loewen posted 11 kills as Angela Evans had eight and Keely Burson finished with seven. In the second match, Loewen led in kills with 11 and Burson posted 10 kills. Knowles had 19 digs, Lindi Lebsock had 14 and Taryn Steele had 13 digs on the night.

Leading the way for Southern Nazarene this season is 5-10 sophomore, Morgan Loewen. The outside hitter averaged 3.4 k/gm last season to go with one block per game. Danielle Hampton, a 5-9 outside hitter, was one of three player that averaged 1.8 k/gm in 2007 along with Courtney Connally (6-1, MH) and Keely Burson (5-10, MH). The Crimson Storm lost their setter to graduation and brought in a pair of freshmen to compete for the job. Lindi Lebosock (5-8) and Meghan Young (5-8) will share the setting duties this year. Junior libero Erika Knowles led the team in ace serves (66) and digs (4.3/gm) last year.

Concordia (Calif.) enters the tournament with a perfect 7-0 record with five match victories over ranked teams so far this season. The third-ranked Eagles are from the powerful Golden State Athletic Conference and are one of five teams from the league ranked in the top five. Head Coach Paula Weishoff, in her fifth season at Concordia, and her squad are ranked third in the preseason poll behind Fresno Pacific and California Baptist.

The Eagles have reached the Final Four in three of the last four seasons, including last season in which they finished 30-6. One of those wins was a 3-0 home victory over the Red Raiders early in that season. CU returns five starters from last season, including 6-0 middle hitter, Traci Weamer. The senior All-American leads the team with 3.3 kills and is hitting .294 this season. Stephanie Scheele and Amber Ridens, a pair of outside hitters, also return to the Eagle front-line. Scheele is second on the team with 3.04 k/gm and leads the team with a .372 attack percentage. Ridens, a 6-1 sophomore, averages 2.0 k/gm. Both setters return for Coach Weishoff's squad, led by senior Jenna Friedrich who is averaging 5.9 assists per game. Vanessa Perry, a 5-9 junior, averages over four assists per game and 1.6 digs per set.

Red Raider Notes... Northwestern, ranked seventh in the NAIA, is 5-0 this season, 1-0 in the GPAC. They have not dropped a set in any of their matches. The Red Raiders have knocked off #23 Olivet Nazarene, RV Black Hills State, Grand View, Mayville State and GPAC rival, Dakota Wesleyan.

Kyle Van Den Bosch, in his fourth season at NWC, has led the Red Raiders to back-to-back runner-up finishes in the GPAC and to the national tournament. Last season, for just the second time in their history, NWC reached the Elite Eight before losing to Cal. Baptist in the quarterfinals.

Leading the way for NWC this season are Randa Hulstein and Hillary Hanno. A 6-1 middle hitter, Hulstein is hitting an impressive .434 and averages 3.5 kills/set. Hanno, a 5-10 sophomore who has made the switch to the outside, is hitting .387 and 3.5 kills/set. Freshmen Kate Buyert and Rylee Hulstein average two and 1.9 kills/set respectively. Rylee also ranks second on the team with 4.3 digs per set. Kaitlin Beaver, a 6-0 outside hitter/setter, has lofted up 11.3 assists per set and has served a team-best 13 ace serves. Juniors Janna Bloemendaal and Delainye Hardersen average 4.9 and 1.6 digs per set.

Next up... Northwestern will next play against Morningside in Sioux City, Iowa, on Tuesday, Sept. 9 in a GPAC showdown of ranked teams. JV match will begin at 6:00 pm followed by the varsity at 7:30 pm.