NU's Morgan Pilon goes high in the air for a block
NU Comes Back to Edge NCU in Five Set Battle
KIRKLAND, Wash. - The Northwest University Eagles came back from a 2-1 deficit to defeat Northwest Christian 3-2 (25-19, 19-25, 16-25, 25-15, 15-10), in an exciting Cascade Conference match tonight in the NU Pavilion.
Northwest U would lead the entire first set after breaking out to an early, 16-8 lead, but NCU would outscore Northwest U 10-3 to make it a 19-18 set before four straight attack errors and a kill by Sydney Schlect would give the set to NU, 25-19.
The momentum would then swing in favor of the Beacons and Northwest Christian would take set two with a strong service and defensive game. Northwest U would tie the set twice in the middle of the set, but each time NCU would answer the challenge to maintain their lead for the set victory.
Northwest Christian would carry their momentum over to the third set and with the score tied at 12-12, NCU would take the lead for good aided by kills by Carissa Allen and Taylor Burnett as the Beacons would take a 15-13 lead. Two NCU kills would end the set giving the Beacons the 2-1 match lead.
In the fourth set, Northwest U would find some much needed energy and take a 12-7 lead after a kill by Amanda Waterman and a NCU miscue. The Eagles would maintain their lead the rest of the way and another Waterman kill and three straight errors by the Beacons would send the match into a fifth and deciding set.
It would be Northwest U maintaining their momentum in the final set as they would lead 11-3 after a Hannah Hanson kills and NCU attack error. The Beacons would not be able to recover as Dakota Adams would end the five set marathon with her kill and giving the Eagle a 15-10 fifth set victory.
Three Northwest U (9-5, 5-3 CCC) players combined for 31 kills led by Dakota Adams’ 11 kills. Amanda Waterman and Sydney Schlect each added 10 kills each with Waterman adding 17 digs for the double-double. Morgan Pilon had a match high 43 assists and Emmaline Stockton contribute 23 digs for the Eagles. Leia Roy had five service aces to lead NU.
Chandler Gabrio led the way for Northwest Christian (7-7, 0-7 CCC) with a match high 12 kills. Laurie Salness had 36 assists for the Beacons. NCU had four players in double figures in digs led by Kendall Bergsten who finished with 21 and Sydney Rothenbush who tallied 16 digs.
Said NU head coach, Steve Bain after the match, “The match tonight was hard fought on both sides of the net. NCU really put pressure on us with their serve and defense and we got impatient on offense and paid the price in sets 2 and 3. But, even during those two sets our players were working hard and we simply told them to stay the course and the game would come back to them. We also made some adjustments in the last two sets that put us into better positions in serve-receive and the players were able to turn things around and take the match. Overall, we had a great approach and this is a win that we can build on.”
Northwest U remains at home and will host Corban Saturday night while Northwest Christian will be in Olympia to play the Evergreen State College.