SPRINGFIELD, Illinois – The No. 8-ranked Northwest Missouri State University Bearcats were pushed to a fifth set, but came out victorious against Grand Valley State University in the Capital Classic.
 
Northwest (5-0 overall) won by set scores of 30-32, 25-18, 19-25, 25-22 and 15-12. It marks the second straight five-set win for the Bearcats this season.
 
The Lakers went overtime to win the opening set, 32-30. Northwest built a 20-16 lead only to see Grand Valley State take a 22-21 lead. GVSU held two set points at 24-22, but Northwest evened it up at 24-24. Northwest could not convert five set points at 26-25, 27-26, 28-27, 29-28 and 30-29. GVSU scored the final three points to take the set. The Bearcats had 22 kills in the set, but made 11 errors. GVSU tallied 13 kills against only two errors. The first set featured 23 ties and nine lead changes.
 
Northwest did not trail in the second set after taking a 4-1 lead. GVSU did pull into a tie at 17-17, but Northwest closed the set on an 8-2 run. Northwest took advantage of 16 kills against only two errors in the set.
 
GVSU took a 2-1 lead with a 25-19 triumph in the second. The Lakers built a 7-2 advantage to take the early edge. Northwest climbed to within 11-10 but could not draw even. The Lakers posted 14 kills and four errors, while Northwest hit .000 with nine kills and nine errors.
 
The fourth set featured eight ties and three lead changes. The Lakers took a 19-18 lead following a Rachel Sturdevant serving error. Northwest rattled off three out of the next four points to take a 21-20 lead. Following a 21-21 tie, Northwest again posted three of out the next four points to take the set, 25-22.
 
GVSU took an early 4-1 lead in the deciding fifth set. Northwest used a 6-0 run to take a 7-4 lead. However, GVSU rallied with a 6-1 run to take a 10-8 lead late in the set. GVSU took its last lead of the match at 12-11, before Northwest responded with four points to end it. The four-point run started with a kill from Maddy Ahrens. The run continued with a block by Avery Kemp and Payton Kirchhoefer. Jaden Ferguson delivered a solo block to give Northwest a match point. Kirchhoefer finished off the Lakers with a kill to tive Northwest the 15-12 victory.
 
Ferguson delivered a match-high tying 18 kills. Kirchhoefer and Sturdevant each recorded 16 kills. Allyssa Rezac led with 37 assists. Hannah Koechl posted a match-high 38 digs.