Northridge Goes Over Minnesota’s Wall, Into Semifinals : Women’s volleyball: Iowa State stands between Matadors and final.

Trailing Minnesota, two games to one, in a match that would decide which team would advance to the semifinals of the National Invitational volleyball championship tournament, Northridge Coach Lian Kang Lu knew the Matadors had to neutralize the Gophers’ Katrien DeDecker.

Up to that point, the 6-foot, 2-inch standout from Belgium--who finished with 24 kills, 19 digs and four solo blocks--had given Northridge one of the toughest tests it had faced all season.

Lu moved 6-2 Heather Anderson into the first spot in the serving rotation in place of 5-8 Kathleen Shannon, forcing DeDecker to pick on someone her own size, and the Matadors came back for an 8-15, 15-13, 5-15, 15-5, 15-10 victory in Kansas City.

Northridge (21-8) won for the ninth consecutive time and 14th in 16 matches.

With Anderson and 6-1 Ana Kristich forming what Lu calls his “Great Wall,” the objective was accomplished.

“(DeDecker) is their leader,” Lu said. “We stopped her completely in the fourth game, and almost stopped her in the fifth.”

Nowhere was the result of Lu’s adjustment more evident than in kill percentage.

After hitting .154, .175, and .091 in the first three games, Northridge jumped to .292 in the fourth and .429 in the decisive game.

Conversely, the Gophers’ kill percentage fell.

Minnesota (21-15) went .290, .100, and .333 in the first three, then dropped to .150 followed by a paltry .058 in the final game.

Anderson had six assisted blocks, one solo block and no block errors, while Kristich had seven assisted blocks and one error.

Missy Clements led the offense with 21 kills and 16 digs.

Anderson had 18 kills and 18 digs, Aimee Stone added 18 kills and 16 digs, while Kristich contributed 15 kills and 11 digs.

Northridge will face Iowa State (24-10) at 8 a.m. PST today, with the winner advancing to the final at 11 against the San Diego-San Jose State victor.

The Matadors split with San Diego this year, dropping a five-game match on the road early in the season, then sweeping the Dons Nov. 2.

Both teams had 3-0 records in pool play with defeats of Connecticut, Sam Houston and Oregon State.