Northwestern University Athletics
`Cats Win Season-Opener in Nail-Biting Fashion
9/4/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 4, 2004
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EVANSTON, Ill. - What a difference a year makes.
After redshirting as a freshman in 2003, setter Stephanie Jurivich looked extremely comfortable in leading the `Cats to a close, season-opening win, 3-2, against IPFW Saturday evening at the NU Labor Day Invite.
Jurivich did not exactly ease into the first match of her collegiate career. She started the match in a key role as the team's second setter, and not only filled that role by recording 21 assists, but also provided the `Cats some extra fire-power with 18 kills.
"I was nervous at first," Jurivich said. "I'll admit it. But once our team got going, we were all playing with so much confidence, like we had been playing together for a while."
The LaGrange, Ill., native was not the only youngster making their first collegiate start for Northwestern Saturday evening. True freshmen Stefanie Alde, Brittney Aldridge and Lindsay Anderson all earned starting nods from head coach Keylor Chan with impressive pre-season performances.
Alde and Aldridge definitely delivered at the middle blocker position -- voided last year with the graduation of all-Big Ten performer Erika Lange -- with 23 kills between them and an average hitting percentage of .408.
"We had a lot of young girls on the court, and you could tell they were nervous," head coach Keylor Chan said. "But in the span of two hours, they matured a lot."
While the young Wildcats matured, veteran juniors Lizzie Carlson and co-captain Christie Gardner turned in rock-solid performances of 32 digs and two service aces between the duo.
The match was a see-saw battle from start to finish.
After dropping the first game to the Mastadons, 30-26, Northwestern rallied to take the second game at 30-27. IPFW responded with a 31-29 win in game three. But the `Cats had enough left in the tank to force a decisive fifth game with a game-four win, 30-22.
NU won that game 15-13, improving to 1-0 on the young 2004 season.
Other impressive performances included sophomore outside hitter Julie Purcell, who led the Wildcats' offense with 23 kills. Senior co-captain Drew Robertson was solid as always with 56 assists and 13 digs.
"We can learn a lot from a good, close match like this," Chan said. NU will be back on the court bright and early Sunday morning at 10 a.m. to face the Bowling Green Falcons.
Bowling Green played earlier Saturday at the NU Labor Day Invite, falling to No. 4 Florida, 3-0.
