Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Iowa
Iowa Defeats Northwestern, 3-0
9/23/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 23, 2005
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Riding a six-match winning streak into conference play, Northwestern dropped the opening contest of its Big Ten schedule against Iowa Friday night at Welsh-Ryan Arena, 30-26, 30-24, 30-28.
The Wildcats fall to 9-2 overall on the season, 0-1 in the Big Ten. Iowa improves to 10-3 overall, 1-0 in the conference.
The Hawkeyes jumped out early in game one, building a four-point lead, 5-1, that Northwestern never really overcame before losing, 30-26. The closest NU got was within two, 20-18, when Cassie McLaughlin (Cary, Ill./Cary Grove) smashed home a kill.
Game two was a much tighter affair, with teams trading points and the lead until Iowa ran off four consecutive points with the score tied 23-23 to take a 27-23 lead. The Hawkeyes eventually won the game, 30-24.
In game three, Northwestern held its biggest advantage of the evening -- three points -- at 21-18 before Iowa took a timeout. Coming out of the break, Iowa broke off an 11-4 run to take a 29-26 lead.
The 'Cats did not go away quietly. McLaughlin killed a ball then sophomore Lindsay Anderson (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier) made a solo block to bring NU to within one, 29-28. Iowa ended the game and the match with a kill before the Wildcats could complete a game three comeback.
Anderson finished the match with her fourth double-double of the year, recording a team-high 15 kills to go along with 10 digs. McLaughlin, Julie Purcell (Louisville, Ky./Assumption) and Brittney Aldridge (Hampshire, Ill./Hampshire) all recorded 11 kills for the 'Cats.
Senior Christie Gardner (West Bend, Wis./West Bend East) dug a match-high 14 balls for NU. Courtnie Paulus (Belgium, Wis./Ozaukee) joined her and Anderson in double-digits with 12 digs.
Northwestern returns to action at 7 p.m. tomorrow night in its "Big Game" of the 2005 season, playing host to No. 5 Minnesota at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
