WILLMAR, Minn. – The Ridgewater College women's volleyball team turned a grueling weekend into a statement of resilience, sweeping through two hard-fought matches at home to kick off the 2025 season on a high note.
On Friday night, the Warriors dispatched Century College in straight sets—well, almost—with a 3-1 victory, then dug deep for a five-set thriller against Anoka-Ramsey Community College on Saturday, emerging with a 3-2 win. These results not only boost Ridgewater's early record but showcase a squad that's learning to channel its firepower while ironing out some early-season kinks.
The weekend opener on September 26 against Century College set the tone for Ridgewater's aggressive play. The Warriors jumped out to a narrow 25-23 edge in the first set, only to stumble in the second, dropping it 21-25 as Century's defense tightened up. But Ridgewater roared back with authority, dominating the third set 25-16 and sealing the match with a 25-20 fourth-set clincher. Statistically, it was a tale of efficiency: Ridgewater posted 35 kills on 123 attacks for a .138 hitting percentage, outpacing Century's .054 mark despite the visitors' 40 kills. The Warriors' serving game proved decisive, racking up 10 aces to Century's five, though they coughed up nine service errors in the process. Defensively, digs were a weak spot (52-76), but Ridgewater's net presence held firm with three total blocks.
Momentum carried over to Saturday's noon tilt against Anoka-Ramsey, but this one tested every fiber of Ridgewater's being. The Warriors claimed the opener 25-19 behind a barrage of kills, only to see Anoka-Ramsey flip the script with 25-21 and 25-22 wins in the next two sets, leaning on the visitors' 119 digs to neutralize Ridgewater's attacks. Trailing 2-1, the home side refused to fold, storming back with a 25-17 fourth-set rout that evened the score. The decider was pure drama: Ridgewater eked out an 18-16 victory in the fifth, thanks to a service ace frenzy that tallied 11 for the match—nearly triple Anoka-Ramsey's four.
In the stat sheet, Ridgewater edged Anoka-Ramsey in firepower with 56 kills and 52 assists but paid for it with 39 hitting errors and a modest .081 percentage. Serving remained a weapon (11 aces), and they held the receive error advantage (4-7), but 19 ball-handling miscues, and 12 block errors underscored areas for growth. Rachel Jakel emerged as the match's MVP, slamming home 27 kills at an impressive .250 clip to go with 28.5 points, the highest total in the gym. Setter Johanna Braun anchored the offense with 45 assists and three aces, while Kori Bristle contributed 10 kills and key blocks. Eben Overcash rounded out the front-line stars with 8 kills and 10.5 points, her steady presence crucial in the fifth-set grind.
These wins cap a promising start for Ridgewater now 6-7 overall and 4-4 in MCAC Conference play. Up next, the Warriors travel to Alexandria Technical and Community College on October 1st, where Braun, Jakel, and the crew will aim to keep the momentum going.