Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Ohio State
Wildcats Take Game One From Buckeyes, Drop Match 3-1
11/13/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 13, 2004
Box Score
EVANSTON, Ill. - For the second-consecutive match, Northwestern came out hot against a top-25 team -- No. 8 Ohio State -- winning game one, 32-30. But the Wildcats (8-17, 3-12 Big Ten) dropped the next three games to the Buckeyes, falling 3-1 (32-30, 20-30, 20-30, 11-30).
Two freshmen, Lindsay Anderson (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier) and Stephanie Jurivich (LaGrange, Ill./St. Ignatius), led the Wildcat offense with 12 and 10 kills, respectively. Jurivich was the most consistent attacker for the `Cats with a .296 hitting percentage.
Game one provided the 1,189 in attendance at St. John Arena the best volleyball of the night, as the two teams were tied 17 different times. At 4-4, the `Cats went on a 4-0 run, briefly distancing themselves with some impressive defense against the Buckeye offense -- the most efficient offense in the Big Ten.
Jurivich and freshman Brittney Aldridge (Hampshire, Ill./Hampshire) rose up for a huge block of Stacey Gordon - the Big Ten leader in kills -- giving the `Cats a 7-4 lead. Junior Lizzie Carlson (Palo Alto, Calif./Palo Alto) followed with a precision service ace, putting NU up 8-4.
Ohio State then churned out a 4-0 run of its own to tie the game back up. NU countered with more defense, as seniors Drew Robertson (Long Beach, Calif./Long Beach Poly) and Leah Delcourt (Rock Island, Ill./Rock Island) combined for a block to give the `Cats a 12-10 lead.
The two teams were knotted 15-15 at the half-way mark of game one and neither squad allowed their opponent much breathing room from that point on. The Buckeyes ran to a 18-16 lead before NU regrouped with a timeout and tied it back up 18-18. Freshman Courtnie Paulus (Belgium, Wis./Ozaukee) reclaimed the lead for NU, 22-21, with a vicious kill down the right side.
A Jurivich kill gave the `Cats a little room at 26-24, but the Buckeyes fought right back to tie it at 26-26 and again at 27-27. Down 29-30, NU faced game point as the Buckeye faithful noisily rose from their seats. The `Cats forced them right back into their seats though by going on a 3-0 run to win game one, 32-30.
Jurivich posted a team-best .545 hitting percentage off six kills in game one. As a team, the `Cats hit .378, while holding the Buckeyes to a .265 average.
In game two, Ohio State reversed its poor hitting percentage, as Stacey Gordon and Ami Stevens powered the Buckeyes to a .405 average. Delcourt and Anderson led the `Cats with three kills apiece, but Ohio State never trailed after a 13-13 tie and eventually won 30-20.
Stacey Gordon continued to show why she is won of the best players in the nation in the following two games, willing her team to victory. On the night, she posted a monster 30 kills with a .414 hitting percentage. She also notched a career-high dig total of 27.
With Gordon and the Buckeyes clicking, the `Cats fell 30-20 and 30-11 in games two and three.
NU is next in action against No. 4 Penn State at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13.
