On Nov. 7, the Northwestern College volleyball team played the Concordia Bulldogs at the Walz Arena in Seward, Neb. After winning the first set, it looked as if the Red Raiders would win three straight sets.
Surprisingly, that was not the situation. NW lost the match in a 3-1 upset.
“We came out really strong the first set, and then I feel we pulled back a bit in the second set,” said junior defensive specialist Jillian Estes. “Then [we] ended up falling behind and were playing catch up. We did the best we could and we all fought really hard that game. Sadly, it was not enough and the cards did not turn our way.”
Somehow, Concordia managed to finish the other sets on top. With leads exchanging, it was surely a nail-biting thriller; not only for these young women, but the audience as well. It was clear that the Bulldogs held the advantage in their own territory. Yet, statistically the match was balanced by both teams with NW hitting .169 and Concordia hitting .126. Both teams shared 12 blocks, but Concordia ended with four more ace serves than the Red Raiders.
Junior setter Jessa Doom recorded 39 assists while senior rightside hitter Karlie Schut had nine kills. Senior outside hitter Haley Chambers and freshman middle hitter Lauryn Hilger combined for 16 kills, each with eight apiece. Estes recorded double figures with 19 digs. Junior defensive specialist Brooke Van Gorp recorded double figures as well with 15 digs, just one shy of her career high.
Having played possibly their final match of the season, the Red Raiders wait patiently in hopes of advancing to NAIA nationals. They will hear whether they have qualified or not on Sunday, Nov. 15.
