KIRKLAND, Wash. – The Northwest University Eagles returned home and opened conference play tonight with a 3-0 sweep (25-23, 25-13, 25-10) over the Evergreen State College in the NU Pavilion.

Set 1 was closely contested between both teams as Evergreen State jumped out to an early 3-2 lead, but NU came through with a 9-3 run to take an 11-6 lead punctuated by sophomore Anu Akamine’s (Hauula, Hawaii) kill for the Eagles 11^th point. Northwest would lead the rest of the way but ESC would challenge the Eagles each step of the way.

In Set 2 Northwest led the entire game with their biggest lead coming at 13-5 on an Akamine kill and two attack errors by the Geoducks. ESC would go on a 6-3 run and make it closer at 16-11, but NU would outscore Evergreen 9-2 to close out the game.


In the final set, Evergreen State would battle back and tie the game at 4-4, NU would score the next six points to take the lead 10-4 and would close out the game and match with another Akamine kill followed by two attack errors and one service mistake by the Geoducks.

Northwest’s (2-4) Akamine finished the match with a game high 11 kills, 6 digs and hit .375 for the match. Teammates Shelbe Kukowski (Soph.,  Anchorage, Alaska) and Lauryn Ernster (Fresh., Bothell, Wash.) led the Eagles with 14 and 12 assists respectively.

Evergreen State (2-2) was led by Jazzmin Garcia’s (Fresh., Kirkland, Wash.) 5 kills and Meghan De La Rosa’s  (Junior, Kennewick, Wash.) 11 assists.

“I felt we played well in the final two games and it’s good to get our first conference win,” commented NU Head Coach Jessie Dietrich. “It’s great to get a victory going into this weekend as we travel to Southern California and face some tough competition.”

Northwest U. will take part in the Concordia University (Irvine, Calif.) tournament Friday and Saturday and will play four matches against good competition (Cal Baptist, Biola, Westminster, and Cornerstone (Mich.).