The NW volleyball team finished off rival Morningside 3-1 to open up conference play on Sept. 10. On a ten-game winning streak, the fifth-ranked NW squad improved to an 11-1 record.
In the first set, NW was neck and neck with the Mustangs. With the set tied at 21 and then again at 24, senior outside hitter Kaitlin Floerchinger and junior rightside hitter Karlie Schut finished the set with back-to-back kills.
NW fell 25-19 in the second set. Morningside hit .364 for the set compared to NW’s .100.
“We didn’t have the right attitude in the first two sets,” said freshman hitter Jessica Van Beek. “We turned our attitude into more of an angry determination and made them defend our best.”
In the third set, NW held onto a 16-9 advantage by closing on a 9-6 run ignited by Van Beek’s three kills. NW finished the set with a 25-15 victory.
In set four, NW got on top early with a 12-8 lead. The Raiders then embarked on a 13-4 run to close the Mustangs out.
Three Raiders recorded double-digit kills for the match. Floerchinger led the squad with 17 followed by Schut’s 14 and junior middle hitter Payton Samuelson’s 12, which matched a career best. Van Beek notched nine kills, who also hit a team best .529. Senior defensive specialist Alexis Bart recorded 19 digs.
NW will return to the court today with a matchup against St. Ambrose for the Saints Invitational in Clinton, Iowa. The match will begin at 9 a.m.
