Northwestern Wins 2023 GPAC Women's Volleyball Championship
(Sioux City, Iowa) – In a match that went the limit, top seeded Northwestern was a five-set winner over the number two seed Concordia in the 2023 Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Women's Volleyball Postseason Tournament Championship on Saturday Night.
Northwestern won set one by the final of 25-17, while Concordia flipped the script and won set two by the same score of 25-17. The Bulldogs took the set two momentum into a set three win of 25-23. The Red Raiders forced a fifth and final set with a 25-21 win in the fourth frame. In the race to 15 in set five the host Red Raiders won the match by way of a 15-11 final.
The GPAC Championship Match was not only the top two seeds in the conference, but a matchup of number one and four in the NAIA. The title match was played in front of a capacity crowd at the Bultman Center in Orange City, Iowa, on the Northwestern campus.
Jazlin De Haan led Northwestern and all players with 27 kills, while Alysen Dexter added 12 for the Red Raiders. Ashley Keck led Concordia with 20 kills, while Gabi Nordaker and Carly Rodaway were in double figures with 14 and 11 kills respectively. Northwestern's Zavyr Metzger led all blockers on the night with ten put backs. Liv Reitsma had 31 assists for the Red Raiders, while Bree Burtwisle lofted 51 assists for the Bulldogs. Defensively Olivia Grandstra had 34 digs for Northwestern and Rebecca Gebhardt had 25 for Concordia.
Both teams have secured berths to the NAIA National Volleyball Championship Opening Round. Northwestern secured the GPAC regular season berth, while Concordia receives the second berth by way of playing the Red Raiders in the final.
The 2023 NAIA Volleyball National Championship includes a field of 48 teams. All 48 teams will play in opening round matches played on campus sites nationwide on November 18. The opening round winners will play at the final site for a 24-team pool play NAIA National Championship November 29 – December 5, 2023, in Sioux City at the Tyson Events Center.
The NAIA Selection Show for Women's Volleyball is Monday at 2pm and can be viewed on the NAIA YouTube Page.
GPAC Volleyball Quarterfinals – Saturday, November 4
# 1 Northwestern 3, #8 Doane 0 (25-20, 25-22, 25-10)
#4 Midland 3, #5 College of Saint Mary 1 (25-20, 25-20, 21-25, 25-19)
#3 Jamestown 3, #6 Morningside 0 (25-23, 25-17, 25-21)
#2 Concordia 3, #7 Dakota Wesleyan 0 (25-11, 25-17, 25-15)
GPAC Volleyball Semifinals – Wednesday, November 8
#1 Northwestern 3, #4 Midland 1 (25-23, 25-18, 20-25, 25-21)
#2 Concordia 3, #3 Jamestown 0 (25-16, 25-18, 25-22)
GPAC Volleyball Championship - Saturday, November 11
#1 Northwestern 3, #2 Concordia 2 (25-17, 17-25, 23-25, 25-21, 15-11)