Northwestern University Athletics
NU Plays Host to Hawkeyes, Gophers
11/4/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 4, 2003
Iowa and Minnesota Match Notes
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EVANSTON, Ill. -- Following a weekend split on the road, the Northwestern volleyball team returns to Welsh-Ryan Arena for home matches against Iowa on Friday and No. 20 Minnesota on Saturday.
Last weekend the Wildcats (14-10 overall, 5-7 Big Ten) got a momentous win when they took down Ohio State, beating the Buckeyes in Columbus for the first time since Sept. 22, 1984. Erika Lange (Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg) pounded 18 kills for a .438 attack percentage, and setter Drew Robertson (Long Beach, Calif./Long Beach Poly) added 56 assists and a team-high 12 digs.
Lange ranks fourth in the Big Ten in hitting percentage (.363), seventh in kills per game (4.11) and eighth in blocks per game (1.24), while Robertson is fifth in assists per game (12.99).
Also having a good weekend was Iwona Lodzik (Tarnobrzeg, Poland/Tarnobrzeg), who tallied 18 kills and 13 digs in the loss to Penn State. The senior outside hitter, fifth in the Big Ten in kills per game (4.11), will try to make another dent in this weekend's matches to help the Wildcats get to a .500 record in the Big Ten.
NU will seek to break a losing draught against another team when it faces the Gophers (17-7, 10-2), who have not lost in Evanston since Oct. 16, 1993. One of the main reasons for Minnesota's success this season is Cassie Busse. The opposite-side hitter leads the Big Ten in aces per game (.54), is third in kills (4.67) and is ninth in hitting percentage (.310).
The Gophers have currently a 10-match winning streak--which began with a 3-0 win over Northwestern Oct. 3--coming into their Friday match at Illinois.
Iowa (5-7, 0-12), meanwhile, is on a 13-game losing streak and is looking to notch its first win in the Big Ten. The Hawkeyes have turned to outside hitter Laura Simpson for offense, as she leads the team with 4.03 kills per game. Also a threat on the net is Carolyn Giese, who is second on the team in kills per game with 2.99.
Both matches this weekend are scheduled to start at 7 p.m.
