Teamwork, unselfishness spark Raiders

“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success. If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.” It may have been decades since Henry Ford spoke those words of inspiration, but there is a modern day application right here at Northwestern.
Like the necessary pieces in an automobile assembly line, the NAIA No .6 ranked NW volleyball team continues to churn out wins thanks in part to a group of players committed to each other.
“The biggest factor in our success this season has been this group of girls all willing to do what’s best for the team,” said head coach Kyle Van Den Bosch. “From top to bottom, JV on up, this is a team that is unselfish.”
The Raiders will head into the GPAC Postseason Volleyball Tournament as the top seed after clinching their second straight regular season championship with a 28-2 overall record and 15-1 in conference play. This is NW’s fifth title in seven seasons.
Although the squad hasn’t seen an abundance of close matches this season, Vanden Bosch believes that his team is battle-tested.
“Every conference match is a challenge,” Van Den Bosch said. “There are a lot of team in our conference with only five or six losses. They all give us unique challenges whether it is a long road trip or standout players, we have been able to meet those challenges.”
In addition to their camaraderie and synergy on the court, Van Den Bosch sees it as a direct result of the team’s bond and practice regimen outside of game nights.
“What I enjoy the most about this group is the attitude,” Van Den Bosch said. “They come to practice every day ready to work. These girls enjoy each other a lot. There is very little to no drama on this team, and that makes things so much easier.”
For senior outside hitter Kaitlin Floerchinger, the tempo is started before each game and practice by her coach.
“Coach (Van Den Bosch) does a great job of keeping us relaxed while also keeping us on our game,” Floerchinger said. “He knows when to fire us up, but also when to let us settle in and play our style.”
NW will host Mount Marty in the quarterfinal round of the GPAC Tournament on Saturday, Nov. 8. The first set will begin at 7:30 p.m.