MSU Northern Drops Eagles in Opener
SPOKANE, Wash. – Montana State Northern gave the Frontier Conference its first win by defeating Northwest University, 3-1 (25-23, 23-25, 25-13, 25-22) in the first annual Cascade-Frontier Challenge in the HUB Sports Center.
In a close first set, the teams were tied at 9-9 when MSU Northern scored three straight kills, two by Abby Nicholas and one by Kelsey Williams to take the lead, 12-9, as they would lead the rest of the way. A kill by Joni Nagy and a miscue by Northwest would give MSU a five point, 19-14 lead. NU’s Olivia VanDlac’s kill coupled with an error by MSU would pull the Eagles to within one 21-20, but the Lights would hold on to get the win.
Northwest U. would recover in the second set and would lead the entire way taking an 11-7 lead early off a VanDlac kill. Joni Nagy’s kill would pull the Lights to within one, 16-15, but kills by Sarah Stoker and Rae Ann Haistings and two errors by MSU would give NU a 20-15 lead as they would maintain the lead the remainder of the way to win the set.
The Lights would rebound in the third set in a big way as they would bolt to a 12-5 lead capped off by another Nagy kill. Northwest would not recover as MS would win the third set going away, 25-13.
In the final set, it looked as though Northwest might send the match into a fifth set as they scored early and took a 10-5 lead off kills by Sarah Stoker and Arika Zwack. But the Lights would whittle away at the NU lead and three straight attack errors by the Eagles would allow MSU to tie the set at 14-14. VanDlac would give NU a brief 15-14 lead with a kill, but a kill by Victoria Polo and Abby Nicholas along with a miscue by the Eagles would put MSU back into the lead, 17-15. Sarah Stoker would tie the set at 18-all with her kill, but MSU would rattle off three straight points to take a 21-18 lead which they would maintain the rest of the set for their second win of the season.
Olivia VanDlac led Northwest (0-1) with 16 kills and a .448 hitting percentage. Teammate and junior Sarah Stoker added 10 kills, hitting .444 for the match. Senior Lauryn Ernster had a game high 36 assists for the Eagles and Heather Shulke had a team high 13 digs for the match. Arika Zwack added 9 kills.
Montana State Northern (2-3) was led by Joni Nagy’s 15 kills, followed by 14 kills by Abby Nicholas and Kelsey Williams contributed 13 kills for the Lights. Nagy added a team high 25 assists while teammate Shayla Bly added 20. Holly Cartwright had a match high 16 digs and Dayna Jensen added 10 digs.
“I was pleased with our effort,” said first year NU coach, Steve Bain. “The players are working extremely hard to make the changes required to be successful and we will continue to improve.”
Northwest U. will continue play in the Challenge with a 10 a.m. match with Montana Western on Friday. MSU Northern will take on Corban University at 12 p.m. as teams continue play in the 66,670 square foot HUB Sports Center.