Raiders down Tigers in road contest

ORANGE CITY, Iowa – After easily winning the opening set, the Dakota Wesleyan University volleyball team was unable to win another set as they fell to Northwestern College in a Great Plains Athletic Conference four-set match Wednesday at the Bultman Center.

 Set scores were 25-17, 23-25, 16-25, 20-25.

 DWU jumped out to a fast start as Ady Dwight (Langford, S.D.) and Mackenzie Miller (Mitchell, S.D.) tallied early kills to take a 5-0 lead. After NWC recorded a point, Dwight and Jadie DeLange (Monument, Colo.) notched kills to extend the lead.

 The Raiders (8-1, 6-1 GPAC) took a timeout and came out trying to pull close. However, the Tigers (8-6, 4-6 GPAC) extended their lead moments later to nine points following another Dwight kill off the Madeline Else (Holstein, Iowa) assist. After NWC pulled within seven points, Miller put the set away with a kill to ensure the opening set victory.

 Both teams started the second frame evenly as the score was deadlocked at seven early on. Neither team was able to pull away after a Miller kill tied the set at 12 midway through. However, the Raiders evened the set score after winning pulling away by just enough, 25-23.

 After the third set began with McKenzie Buisker (Watertown, S.D.) and Mariah Gloe (Watertown, S.D.) kills, the Tigers held a slight 7-6 advantage. However, the Raiders took a 15-10 lead moments later and never looked back to win the set by nine points.

 The fourth frame began just how the Tigers needed with a pair of kills from Miller and DeLange. Dwight added a pair of kills to push the lead to 6-2 moments later. The Tigers continued to hold the Raiders at a distance after a Buisker kill gave them a 10-5 advantage.

 After DWU held a 16-12 lead, the Raiders went on a 6-2 run to tie the set at 18. NWC followed that up with a 7-2 run to close out the set and win the match.

 Dwight tallied a season-high 21 kills and Miller added 12 kills and a pair of blocks. Else recorded 52 assists and 11 digs, while Hanna Reiff (Chester, S.D.) finished with 20 digs to lead the team. The Tigers finished with 54 kills and 60 digs.

 DWU returns home to host Concordia University for Senior Night at 5 p.m. Saturday at the Corn Palace.