Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Pittsburgh (Wildcat Classic)
Wildcats Outrun Panthers, 3-1
9/15/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 15, 2006
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Pittsburgh took the second game from Northwestern Friday night at the Wildcat Classic in Welsh-Ryan Arena, but the Wildcats came back to track down the Panthers in games three and four to move to 2-0 in their home tournament with a four-game victory, 34-32, 28-30, 30-20, 30-23.
Northwestern, winners of three straight, improve to 5-3 overall on the season. With the loss, Pittsburgh falls to 9-4 on the year and 0-2 in the Wildcat Classic.
In game one, both teams were neck and neck the entire way until Pittsburgh edged ahead to earn a pair of game points, 29-27. Junior Lindsay Anderson (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier) answered with a pair of thunderous kills to even the game at 29. The Panthers picked up the next point, but junior Brittney Aldridge (Hampshire, Ill./Hampshire) picked up a kill before Anderson served up an ace to give the Wildcats the advantage, 31-30.
The teams traded points until senior Julie Purcell (Louisville, Ky./Assumption) and junior Stephanie Jurivich (LaGrange, Ill./St. Ignatius) recorded back-to-back kills for a 34-32 Northwestern game one win.
In game two, the Wildcats and Panthers again raced close together, with NU pulling ahead by a neck, 20-17, on a kill by junior Courtnie Paulus (Belgium, Wis./Ozaukee). Pittsburgh quickly stormed back to take the lead itself, 23-21.
Northwestern battled back to knot the score, 26-26, on an Anderson kill, but Pitt would notch itself the game, 30-28, to even the match.
In game three, Northwestern dominated out of the gate, opening up a gigantic 12-point led immediately, 16-4. Paulus and Anderson both had three kills during the start while Jurivich had a pair.
Pittsburgh gradually came back, but senior Cassie McLaughlin (Cary, Ill./Cary Grove) killed two balls at the end of the game to ice it, 30-20, and give NU a 2-1 lead in the match.
Game four was tight until an 8-2 run by Northwestern gave the hosts an 18-11 lead midway through. Purcell notched the kill that capped that rally, giving the Wildcats a lead they would hold right up until Anderson pounded home the final kill of the match to give NU a 30-23 game four win and a 3-1 match victory.
Anderson led NU with a season-best 18 kills, and also reached 13 digs for her second double-double of the day. Not far behind was Paulus, who had 17 kills and 11 digs. Purcell finished with 11 kills while Aldridge had 10.
Anderson also tallied four aces in the match, her second-consecutive match with that many.
Jurivich blasted her career high for assists, upping the total by 12 with her 59 on the night. Freshman Kate Nobilio (Johnsburg, Ill./Johnsburg) totaled a team-high 20 digs, while senior Lauren Greenwood (Brentwood, Tenn./Brentwood) had 11.
Northwestern returns to action in the finale of the Wildcat Classic at 7 p.m. Saturday night against No. 24 Arizona at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Prior to that matchup, Eastern Illinois will take on Pittsburgh at 4:30 p.m.
