Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Michigan
Wildcats Fall to Michigan 3-0
10/22/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
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Oct. 22, 2004
EVANSTON, Ill. - Senior co-captain Drew Robertson (Long Beach, Calif./Long Beach Poly) recorded her fifth-straight double-double - 41 assists and 12 digs -- Friday, Oct. 22 in Northwestern's (7-12, 2-7 Big Ten) 0-3 loss to Michigan (15-5, 5-4). The `Cats fell by scores 16-30, 32-34, 27-30.
A slow start in game one had the 'Cats down 14-6. NU never really recovered, dropping the first game 16-30.
As game two started though, the 'Cats noticeably settled into a groove and got out to a 6-3 lead. Freshmen Courtnie Paulus (Belgium, Wis./Ozaukee) and Stephanie Jurivich (LaGrange, Ill./St. Ignatius) got the offense going, and the Wildcats' tough defense kept the Wolverines at bay for much of the game. Senior middle blocker Leah Delcourt (Rock Island, Ill./Rock Island) made her presence known by recording a season-high three solo blocks on the night. Freshman middle blocker Brittney Aldridge (Hampshire, Ill./Hampshire) and Jurivich also teamed up for a few block assists. But Michigan fed off a near sell-out crowd at Keen Arena, eventually taking the lead 21-20.
Another block assist by Aldridge and Jurivich pulled the `Cats to within one point at 23-24. Some more defense in the form of a Delcourt and Jurivich block assist knotted the game back up at 28-28. The teams then traded the next two points to force overtime. Robertson broke the tie with a jarring solo block of Michigan's star hitter Jennifer Gandolph. The teams battled back-and-forth with a string of long rallies before the Wolverines closed it out 35-33.
Purcell nailed three kills early in game three to power the `Cats to another strong start, 7-3. And as Michigan mounted a comeback, Purcell quieted the crowd again with two-consecutive kills to stretch the `Cats lead to 14-10. NU led late into the game 23-22, but had trouble defending the Wolverines' charging offense, as the host school completed the sweep with a game three win 30-27.
NU is next in action Saturday, Oct. 23 at 6 p.m. against Michigan State in East Lansing, Mich.
