Mustang
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL WEDNESDAY, AUG. 31 Morningside opens Great Plains Athletic Conference play as it takes the floor in Allee Gym for the first time this season. The Mustangs will hope to snap a losing streak against Northwestern College, who was ranked no. 8 in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics preseason coaches’ poll. While not an easy task, Morningside has shown that it can hang with top 10 teams, giving preseason no. 6, Park University, a fight that didn’t necessarily translate to the scoreboard.
THE SERIES Mustang fans have to look back to a 3-2 win in Sioux City to find the last time that Morningside was able to overpower Northwestern. The Raiders claimed the last five matches, sweeping the Mustangs in a two-match series each year since the conference realigned schedules ahead of the 2020 season.
THE MATCH-UP Northwestern rides a two-game winning streak into Allee Gym, boasting a 4-1 record so far this season. The Raiders hold a win over no. 25 Ottawa in their pocket, with the only loss so far this season coming to no. 7 Corban. Northwestern averages 11.94 kills per set this season, while hitting .231. They also average nearly three blocks per set while collecting 16.19 digs. Raider leaders include Jazlin DeHaan, who averages 3.07 kills per set, and Bekah Horstman, who sits at 2.5 kills per set. Morningside holds a 1-6 record so far this season, with the one win coming in a 3-0 sweep of Loyola, who was receiving votes in the NAIA preseason poll. The Mustangs average 12.2 kills per set, hitting .174. Morningside’s defensive front averages just 1.52 blocks per set, while collecting 16.52 digs per set. Sydney Marlow is the leading attack threat for Morningside, with 111 kills and 4.44 kills per set on the season, she sits in the no. 6 and no. 7 spot nationally in the respective categories. Bridget Smith leads the way on defense for the Mustangs, with an average of 4.6 digs per set this season. Payton Shoquist is close behind, averaging 3.04 digs per set.