SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Categorizing the 2022 North Park women's volleyball finish as "a season to remember" would be an understatement. The Vikings snapped the Eagles' streak of 23-straight sets won by No. 4 Northwestern-St. Paul, including 61 sets in a row won inside the Ericksen Center on Thursday night. North Park reached 20-or-more points in each set, including a second set win, falling in four sets.

The Ericksen Center was packed and loud from the get-go, as the nation's fourth-ranked team powered ahead to a 6-1 lead after five kills and a Viking attack error. The Eagles never lost their lead through the rest of the set, despite a late kill from Debbie Dinkel and service ace by Christina Gatta to close the gap to 23-19.

Northwestern opened the next set in similar fashion, maintaining a five-point lead of 12-7. However, the Vikings would begin to chip away.

Rhianna Huebner sent in back-to-back kills, Adriana Rodriguez added one of her own, and a Kailyn Matthews service aces coupled with an Eagle attack error closed the gap to one point, 13-12. Next, Carolina Aviles drove a pair of aces, Dinkel notched a kill, and a ball handling error by Northwestern gave the Vikings their first lead of the match, 16-14. The Eagles carried out a 6-2 run to steal the lead back, 20-18, but the Ericksen Center was about to see a feat not accomplished in the past 61 sets played there.

Kills by Christina Gatta, Raghen Walker, Huebner, and Rodriguez put NPU up, 23-21. Northwestern sent in one more kill, but an attacking error and set-ending kill by Huebner led to Northwestern's first loss in 61 sets played at home and snapped a streak of the Eagles' 23 straight set wins.

The Eagles would ultimately take the match in four sets (20-25, 25-22, 21-25, 22-25) but North Park put on a show in its first-ever NCAA Tournament match.

Quick Hits:

• Three Vikings reach double-digit kills totals: Adriana Rodriguez (19), Debbie Dinkel (11), and Rhianna Huebner (10)
  • Dinkel's 11 kills sets a new career high
• Christina Gatta's 45 assists ties the ninth-most in a Viking four-set match
• North Park's 55 team assists ties for the fifth-most in a four-set match, as well
• Vikings snap 23-set winning streak for the Eagles, as Northwestern had swept their last seven opponents
• Five different Vikings reach double-digit digs totals: Gatta (17), Aviles (14), Jenna Jonees (11), Kailyn Matthews (11), and Rodriguez (10)
• Three aces for Aviles, two each for Rodriguez and Gatta

UNW Interviews Sopocy, Gatta:

What a Run!

North Park concludes its season with a 22-9 record, earning the program's first-ever CCIW Tournament championship, alongside a second-place finish in the league. The Vikings sent four players to the All-CCIW list, had the league's Coach of the Year in Michael Sopocy, and showcased the AVCA Region 8 Player of the Year in Adriana Rodriguez. With so much talent available to come back, it's difficult to not already be looking forward to 2023.