KIRKLAND – Northwest opens its volleyball season this weekend in Butte, Montana, in the Big Sky Challenge.
The Eagles start on Friday with matches at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. (Pacific) against Providence and Viterbo, respectively. NU continues Saturday at 8 a.m. against Rocky Mountain and noon against Dickinson State.
Northwest went 0-4 in last season's Big Sky Challenge, taking only one set in four matches. NU is 2-10 in its last three trips since having a 3-1 showing in 2017–the year the Eagles made it to the NAIA Championship Tournament.
Abi Broussard and
Anna Saelens are back this season, using their Covid-exemption season. Both were All-Conference selections last season, with Broussard earning first-team honors and Saelens on the second team. Broussard also claimed honorable mention All-America status.
Two of Northwest's three kills leaders are back this season. Broussard led the team with 3.1 kills per game, and
Susanna Bailey checked in at 2.48. Broussard led the team with a .306 attack percentage.
Anna Saelens shouldered the setter duties almost completely on her own last season, with
Allie Flynn out with a broken hand for all but four matches. Saelens brings back her 9.82 assists per game average but will be joined by Flynn and freshman Morgan Harder this season.
Broussard set the NU career aces record last season and will only build on that this season. She had 59 aces last season.
Providence opens Thursday and will have two matches under its belt before taking on the Eagles. The 10th-ranked Argos were 28-3 last season and 10-0 in their conference. Jenna Thorne returns after leading the team with 3.48 kills per set last season. The Argos had 162 aces last year.
Ninth-ranked Viterbo opens Thursday and its match with NU will be its fourth of the young season. Viterbo was 39-2 last season and 14-0 in its conference. The V-Hawks graduated their two leading attackers and their setter from last season.
Rocky Mountain was 12-19 last season and returns top outside hitter Kyra Oakland (2.55 kills/set), setter Blythe Sealey (6.83 assists/set), blocker Weiying Wu (1.09 blocks/set), and libero Ayal Embry (7.57 digs/set).
Dickinson State suffered through a 2-25 season last year. The Blue Hawks return leading setter Bailey Pearcy (7.96 assists/set) and defensive specialist Jenna Swope (3.37 digs/set).
