#B1GCats Rally Back, Top Indiana in Five Set Thriller

10/6/2017 10:36:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

By Zach Wingrove
NUSports.com

EVANSTON, Ill. — In what was an instant classic at the historic Beardsley Gym at Evanston Township High School, the Northwestern Wildcats (12-4, 2-3 Big Ten) came up with a massive victory over the Indiana Hoosiers (11-6, 0-5 Big Ten) in a five-set squeaker.

After falling behind 2-1 after three sets, the #B1GCats mounted a furious comeback that included a marathon fourth set victory along with an emphatic victory in the game's deciding fifth set.

Senior Symone Abbott fueled the late comeback, finishing the match with a career high 29 kills as well as seven digs.

After moving into fourth place in Northwestern volleyball history for career assists less than a week ago, senior setter Taylor Tashima kept up her stellar play in Friday's match as she registered her fifth double-double of the season.

Tashima entered the match ranked fourth in the Big Ten with 604 total assists this season and she added to that total with a season-high 59 assists along with 20 digs.

The Wildcats jumped out to an quick lead in the first set thanks to an early 6-0 run, bringing the score to 10-3. Abbott led the Big Ten in kills heading into the match and made quick work to preserve her lead as she recorded five kills in the first set. Senior Gabrielle Hazen and first-year Nia Robinson each added three kills as well, as Northwestern took the first set 25-21.

Both teams battled evenly throughout the second set, with no team holding a lead of more than three points the entire time. In the end, Indiana would win the set 25-22 to tie the match at 1-1 heading into intermission.

After falling behind early to start the third set, Northwestern came roaring back to tie the score thanks to a tremendous sequence of plays from first-year libero Lexi Pitsas. After diving into a wall to keep a play alive and ultimately win a point for Northwestern, Pitsas recorded back-to-back service aces to tie the score 11-11. However, the Hoosiers would win the third set 25-20 to take a 2-1 advantage.

Northwestern fell behind 14-10 early in the fourth set before mounting a furious comeback en route to a 34-32 victory. Abbott led the charge with 11 kills in the set, including four consecutive kills late in the set to tie the score 25-25. Abbott would later come up with back-to-back kills to put the finishing touches on the set to force a decisive fifth set.

The fifth set was all Northwestern as the #B1GCats recorded 10 kills and hit for a .562 clip, while holding the Hoosiers to just four kills and a .059 hitting percentage en route to a 15-8 victory to seal the match.

Hazen finished the match with eight kills along with a team-high seven total blocks. Pitsas led the match with 21 digs, tying a career high for the rookie.

Abbott's 29 kills marked the first time a Wildcat player has hit for more than 25 kills since last year's match against No. 3 Wisconsin, when she hit for 26 kills. The Wildcats' five-set victory is also the first for Northwestern since last season's 3-2 victory over Syracuse on Sept. 16.

Chicago's Big Ten team will be back in action at the historic Beardsley Gym this Sunday, October 8, at 1 p.m. when they play host to No. 18 Purdue.