SIOUX CITY, IA — Indiana Wesleyan Women's Volleyball captured the NAIA Championship with a 3-1 victory over Northwestern at the Tyson Events Center on Tuesday evening. The Wildcats secured the title by taking the sets 25-23, 23-25, 25-18, 25-19, highlighted by their efficient .455 hitting percentage in the decisive fourth set. Senior setter Abbigail Porter capped off her career with 48 assists, pushing her over 5,000 for her career. This victory gives the Wildcats' their third consecutive red banner, placing them with Fresno Pacific (Calif.), Brigham Young-Hawaii, and Hawaii-Hilo as the only schools to have achieved three consecutive titles.

 

THE ESSENTIALS

• Location: Tyson Events Center | Sioux City, IA
• Records: IWU - 33-4  | NWC - 33-4
• NAIA Top-25 Ranking: IWU - 4 Seed | NWC - 2 Seed

SET ONE

• IWU benefited from a series of early attack errors by NWC, building a 5-3 lead.  
• A 4-0 run by IWU, including consecutive kills from Marissa Mullins and Eva Joldersma, widened the gap to 11-7, prompting a timeout from NWC.
• NWC rallied to tie the set at 23-23, powered by multiple kills from Stella Winterfeld and a service ace.      
• Joldersma's kill and a block by Marin Sanchez ended the set at 25-23 in favor of IWU.

 

SET TWO 

• Northwestern began the period strongly, with Stella Winterfeld contributing two early kills, helping establish a 3-0 lead.  
• The red and grey countered with a 3-0 run, capitalizing on a block by Joldersma and a setting error by Liv Reitsma to tie the score at 3-3.  
• A pivotal stretch saw the red and grey take a 15-12 advantage, aided by a series of attack errors from Northwestern and strong blocking from Jessica Ickes and Abbigail Porter.  
• Northwestern mounted a comeback, using a late 4-0 run, including a service ace from Maggie Bloom, to clinch the set 25-23 and take a 2-0 lead in the match.

 

SET THREE 

• NWC took an early 2-0 advantage with strong blocking, but Indiana Wesleyan quickly evened it up, with Joldersma securing a kill at 2-2.    
• The teams traded points with ties at 7 and 9, but NWC edged ahead 11-9 following a service ace by Nyah Potthoff.  
• Indiana Wesleyan surged late, using a 5-0 run to move from a 14-14 tie to a 19-14 lead, forcing a Northwestern timeout.  
• Indiana Wesleyan closed the set with a strong finish, winning 25-18 after a kill by Joldersma, taking a 2-1 lead in the match.

SET FOUR 

• IWU opened with strong net play, taking an early 5-2 lead highlighted by kills from Ickes and Shae Williams.   
• NWC rallied to tie the set at 10-10 after a service ace from Bloom, but Indiana Wesleyan regained control with a 4-0 run.  
• Williams and Sanchez combined for key kills, extending IWU's advantage to 17-14 before a timeout by Northwestern.   
•  Indiana Wesleyan secured the set and match victory at 25-19, ending on a block by Ickes and Williams.

KEY WILDCATS 

• Abbigail Porter - 48 assists, 12 digs, 3 blocks
• Shae Williams -  14 kills, .312 hitting percentage, 3 blocks
• Eva Joldersma - 20 kills, 11 digs
• Marissa Mullins - 15 kills, 4 blocks

MOATS PERSPECTIVE

•  "The heart of this team, that plays for each other, plays for the Lord, and gives absolutely everything on the court, I have never had a team like this before," said Head Coach Candace Moats. "I do not have words to express how grateful I am to have  been the coach of this senior class!  They are a class act who loves the Lord, each other and playing for Indiana Wesleyan University!  I will never forget the impact they have made on my life!"

 

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