Cornerstone Sweeps Eagles
IRVINE, Calif. - Southern California wasn't very hospitable to the NU Eagles this weekend as they lost their final match of weekend, 3-0 (27-25, 25-16, 25-23), to Cornerstone University of Michigan in the Asics Crowne Plaza tournament.
In the first set the Eagles jumped out to a 15-11 lead capped off by a Lauren Holtz kill, but Cornerstone slowly crept back into the game and tied the game at 18 all on a kill by Jodi Grandholm. NU would pull away again to lead 22-19 and 24-21, but CU would out score the Eagles 6-1 to pull out the close win.
Cornerstone pulled away early and led the entire second set to win going away, 25-16, but in the third set, NU would battle the entire way. The game would see 10 ties as each time CU would gain a small lead, the Eagles would battle back. With the set tied at 23-23, Cornerstone would score the final two points on a kill and a bad set by NU to end the game and the match.
Lauren Holtz had 11 kills for Northwest U. (1-8, 1-0) and 17 digs. Lauryn Ernster added 28 assists and 12 digs and Anu Akamine had 7 kills and 10 digs for the Eagles.
Alicia Terhaar led Cornerstone (2-7) with 12 kills while Becky Albrecht added 16 digs. Marcie Blacquiere had a game high 33 assists.
"We played just well enough to stay in the game," commented Jessie Dietrich, Head Coach of the Eagles, "but we couldn't execute when we needed to. It was a hard way to end the tournament."