SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - Northwestern won its sixth consecutive NAIA Opening Round match on Saturday, defeating Saint Xavier (Ill.) in straight sets.

The first set began with Northwestern establishing an early lead, highlighted by Stella Winterfeld’s kill from Liv Reitsma to open the scoring.

The hosts capitalized on several attack errors from Saint Xavier, quickly pulling ahead 4-0.

Despite a brief rally from the Cougars, Northwestern maintained their momentum with Rylie Franken and Winterfeld contributing multiple kills.

Zavyr Metzger’s presence at the net was significant, contributing to blocks that put Northwestern firmly in control.

The set concluded with a dominant sequence from Northwestern, including back-to-back service aces by Winterfeld, before Sidney Oostra’s

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