Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Minnesota
No. 5 Minnesota Bests Northwestern, 3-0
9/24/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 24, 2005
EVANSTON, Ill. -- In front of a raucous, student-filled crowd Saturday night at Welsh-Ryan Arena, Northwestern fell to 2004 NCAA runner-up and fifth-ranked Minnesota in three games, 30-20, 30-26, 30-22.
With the loss, the Wildcats fall to 9-3 overall on the year, 0-2 in the Big Ten. Minnesota improves to 10-2, 1-1 in the conference.
Courtnie Paulus (Belgium, Wis./Ozaukee) led NU with 10 kills, while Brittney Aldridge (Hampshire, Ill./Hampshire) hit a match-high .444 with five kills on nine attempts and one error.
Christie Gardner (West Bend, Wis./West Bend East) and Lindsay Anderson (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier) both notched double-digit dig totals in the game, with Gardner recording 15 and Anderson getting 11.
Minnesota wasted no time getting out in front in game one. After the Gophers built a 12-6 lead, Northwestern rattled off three consecutive points to draw to within three, 12-9. It was the closest NU would get in the game, eventually falling 30-20.
The Wildcats played much closer in the second game. NU trailed by one, 12-11, before Minnesota opened a 20-14 lead.
The 'Cats battled back to draw within three, 22-19, after a pair of kills by Stephanie Jurivich (LaGrange, Ill./St. Ignatius) and a Cassie McLaughlin (Cary, Ill./Cary Grove) ace.
NU eventually cut the Minnesota lead to just one, 24-23, on an Anderson kill, but the Gophers quickly closed the door and won the game, 30-26.
Minnesota used a 6-1 run in the third game to take a six-point lead, 19-12, but again the 'Cats showed fight. NU's defense forced four consecutive Gopher hitting errors to pull to within three, 22-19. Minnesota called a timeout, then responded with an 8-3 run to win the game, 30-22, and the match, 3-0.
Northwestern students turned out in force to nearly fill the west stands and -- despite the result -- were loud throughout. During one break in the action, they started the wave and kept it going more than a few times around the building.
Northwestern returns to action at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30 at Illinois.
