LEWISTON, Idaho– The Northwest Christian University volleyball team is 7-1 for just the second time in school history after sweeping a pair of games on Saturday at the Red Lion Invitational.
 
The Beacons went 3-1 in the tournament and have matched their best eight-game start in school history, equaling the start of the 2015 team.
 
NCU opened the day with their first five-set match of the season, taking down Montana-Western for the second day in a row, 22-25, 26-24, 25-19, 17-25, 15-6. The Beacons hit .172 for the match while holding UMW to a .128 clip and out-dug their opponent 108-98. Montana-Western held a 9-4 advantage in service aces and a 10-7 lead in blocks but couldn't match the overall strength of the Beacons who collected 11 kills in the fifth and decisive set.
 
The Beacons were led by sophomore setter Makenna Northern who flirted with a triple-double before finishing with 50 assists, 20 digs, seven kills and two blocks. Her 50 assists were a career high as she posted just the eighth 20-20 game in school history.
 
Freshman Cambria Lingenfielder helped the offense roll, collecting 16 kills while hitting .317 and picking up 12 digs. Payton Jones and Natalie Downes were particularly effective at the net, combining for 22 kills and five blocks while Mary Grace Blaser added 11 kills and seven digs. Senior Kayla Olson had the best match of her career, totaling 31 digs which ranks 9th in the NCU history book.
 
Cady Siemion led Montana Western (1-2) with 17 kills and 16 digs while Abbee Croninger secured six kills and a match-high six blocks. Madison Richtmyer posted 29 assists, 20 digs and a match-best three service aces.
 
The Beacons closed out the tournament a few hours later against Canada's Columbia Bible College, dominating play in a 25-9, 25-16, 25-16 victory. Statistically speaking it was a quieter evening for the Beacons as they benefitted from a total of 29 unforced errors by CBC. The defense out-blocked their opponent 9-2 which helped toward a negative hitting percentage for the match with 20 kills and 25 attack errors.
 
Lingenfelder led the Beacons with seven kills but it was the place of Downes that stood out as the junior hit .400 with five kills along with seven blocks. Olson added just nine digs but led all players with five of NCU's 13 service aces.
 
Columbia Bible College (0-4) was led by Janae Bruninsmas who posted a match-high nine kills.
 
NCU will return to action on Tuesday night, traveling to face Willamette University at 7 p.m.  in their final non-conference match of the season.