Mustang
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 1 It’s another Siouxland-area Great Plains Athletic Conference clash this evening inside Allee Gymnasium of the Rosen-Verdoorn Sports Center. Head coach Jessica Squier’s Morningside University Mustangs, sporting a 6-3 record, host the Red Raiders of Northwestern College coached by Kyle Van Den Bosch. NWC enters the match at 3-0.
THE SERIES Northwestern has claimed the last three, including a season sweep in 2020. Mside’s most recent victory occurred in 2018 when they claimed a five-set thriller on the same floor they compete on tonight.
THE MATCH-UP Through nine contests, Squier’s offense is gaining notice on the national numbers. Their 327 kills are third-highest in the league, trailing only Midland University and Doane University and sitting among the top 35 overall. The Mustangs’ 62 service aces and 286 assists stand No. 15 and No. 40 in the nation. Mside’s defensive arithmetic isn’t too bad, either, as the 479 digs and 56 total blocks they’ve accumulated are No. 18 and 20. An underclasswoman tandem of outside hitter Sydney Marlow and middle hitter Claire Wilson top the individual kill digits. Marlow has compiled 74 with Wilson at 63. Wilson is also first in attack percentage with a lofty .297 and is second in total blocks (17), trailing only sophomore middle hitter Meredith Hoffman (19). Other individual leaders are freshman setter Bridget Smith (116 assists), junior setter Sabrina Creason (16 service aces), and sophomore defensive specialist Payton Shoquist (146 digs). Morningside is coming off an impressive 3-1 weekend at the Missouri Valley College Invite Aug. 27-28. Squier’s crew defeated MidAmerica Nazarene, Stephens, and Williams Baptist in three sets each. Northwestern’s unbeaten run has been paved by freshman outside hitter Alysen Dexter, sophomore middle hitter Macay Van’t Hul, and senior middle hitter Bekah Horstman. The trio holds down the top three slots in kills (Dexter – 32/Van’t Hul – 24/Horstman – 20) with Horstman and Van’t Hul one-two in blocks with nine and six. Junior setter Jaedyn Schutt (61 assists) and senior defensive specialist Emily Strasser (eight service aces and 39 digs) have also played integral roles. Morningside is back on the weekend tournament trail Friday and Saturday, Sept. 3-4 at Bellevue University’s GoSarpy.com Labor Day Classic. They’ll face Carroll College of Montana, MidAmerica Nazarene of Kansas, Mayville State University of North Dakota, and McPherson College of Kansas.