10/05/07

The conferences's preseason co-favorites met for the first time in the 2007 season on Friday in Rosemount, Minn., with the Eagles from Northwestern College (14-9, 6-0 UMAC) rallying back from a game two loss for wins in the third and fourth games to remain undefeated in the UMAC with their 3-1 win over the visiting Saints.

St. Scholastica (8-13, 3-2 UMAC) came back from an opening game loss to even the score with a 30-24 game two victory, but Northwestern swept the final two games, 30-27 and 30-26, to nab the match win.

Juniors Shawna Varichak, Dustie Richardson, and Amy Thompson led the Saints offensive attack as usual. Varichak and Richardson registered 14 kills in the match while Thompson added 13.

Setting the trio up was sophomore Megan Baartman who had a match-high 45 assists for the Saints.

Neither team seemed to be at their peak offensively as both were unable to achieve an attacking percentage better than .200, but Northwestern's .166 mark was good enough to steal those few points that separated the teams as St. Scholastica finished with 33 attacking errors and an .098 mark.

Defensive specialist Diana Moody accumulated 32 digs for a match-high figure as four other Saints reached double-figures in defensive digs.

The Saints will try to put an end to their two-match losing streak with a visit to Crown College on Saturday afternoon.