Northwest U Outlasts Corban in Five Set Thriller
KIRKLAND, Wash. - Playing their second five set match in as many days, Northwest University edged Corban, 3-2 (23-25, 25-23, 25-15, 24-26, 15-10), to improve to 10-5 overall and 6-3 in Cascade Conference play. Corban falls to 6-8 and 4-4 in the CCC.
The NU victory overshadowed an outstanding performance by Corban outside hitter Amber Parker, who finished with a match high 29 kills and 10 digs.
Northwest U had four players with double figures in kills: Mattie Jo Johnson with 12; Sydney Schlect 11; Dakota Adams 11; and Hannah Hanson with 10. Defense was solid for NU as they finished with 11 blocks.
The teams split the first two sets by identical scores, 25-23, as Corban would break a 22-22 tie in the first set with a kill by Amber Parker and service ace by Kasey Calderon. Parker would finish the first set for the Warriors with her kill. In set two, Parker would tie the set at 23-all with another kill, but a Corban attack error and kill by NU’s Amanda Waterman would give the set to Northwest U, tying the match a one set each.
The third set would find Northwest jumping out to a 13-6 lead and maintain that lead throughout and would close out the set with the help of four errors by Corban. Hannah Hanson would get one of her 10 kills to end the set.
It looked as though Northwest U might wrap the match up in four sets, taking a 21-17 lead late in the match. But, the Warriors would battle back to tie the set at 21-21 and after three more ties, Amber Parker would end the set with a kill along with an Eagle attack error.
In the fifth and final set and NU leading 9-8, the Eagles would stretch their lead to 14-9 after a Sarah Warner service ace and another kill by Dakota Adams. Parker would cut the lead to 14-10m but Mattie Jo Johnson would end the set and match with a kill, her 12th of the match.
Madison McClain had a match high 46 assists for Corban while Morgan Pilon had a team high 41 for Northwest U. Northwest U hit .357 in the fifth and deciding set holding Corban to .133 hitting in the set.
Said Steve Bain, NU head coach, "It was a tough match tonight, but I have to give alot of credit to Corban. They play very hard and I was impressed with the way they fought back from deficits to take sets 1 and 4. We had to fight as well and after we dropped the 4th set we challenged the players to focus forward and they responded the right way. In many respects though, we are still a young team and tonight's lesson was all about the importance of working together and striving to say and do the things that make our teammates better. If we can continue to make progress in that area it will pay off down the road."