Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern Takes Four-Match Winning Streak on the Road
10/31/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 31, 2007
Northwestern Game Notes in PDF Format 
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Following its first perfect four-match Big Ten homestand since 1984, Northwestern takes its current winning streak on the road this week for matches at Illinois and No. 7 Wisconsin.
The Wildcats first face the Illini Friday, Nov. 2, before taking on the Badgers Saturday, Nov. 3. Both contests are slated for 7 p.m. CT starts.
Northwestern is right smack in the middle of one of the biggest Big Ten log jams in recent memory. Six schools currently are tied for fifth place in the conference with 5-7 records, and all six of those programs trail third-place Illinois and Purdue (6-6) by just a single match.
No. 1 Penn State and seventh-ranked Wisconsin have run away with the top two spots in the league, with PSU boasting a perfect 12-0 mark while UW is 11-1 with that loss coming at home against the Nittany Lions.
With such a tight conference race, each match takes on added significance due to the likelyhood of just a couple of matches separating third place from 10th in the final Big Ten standings, affecting not only placing, but the possibility of an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament.
With all of that being said, NU has bounced back well from a seven-match losing skid with its current four-match winning streak. The Wildcats have knocked off two ranked opponents in then-No. 13 Minnesota and then-No. 20 Michigan in the last two weeks.
During the first half of the Big Ten season, Illinois swept Northwestern at home while the Wildcats gave the then-No. 9 Badgers all they could handle in a four-game loss.
Illinois is 0-5 at home this year in Big Ten play, including an 0-4 mark in five-game matches at Huff Hall. After losing their first conference road match of the year at Michigan, Illinois has a five-match winning streak away from Champaign.
Last year in Madison, the 'Cats came back from a 2-0 deficit to force a fifth game against the tenth-ranked Badgers before falling, 3-2.
For Northwestern's complete game notes package in .pdf format, click on the link at the top of this page.
The Weekend
Friday, November 2
Northwestern (14-9, 5-7)
at Illinois (14-8, 6-6) 7 p.m. CT
Saturday, November 3
Northwestern (14-9, 5-7)
at No. 7 Wisconsin (19-2, 11-1) 7 p.m. CT
Series Records
Illinois: Illinois leads, 41-24
Last Meeting: Sept. 29, 2007 (UI, 3-0)
Wisconsin: Wisconsin leads, 40-25
Last Meeting: Sept. 28, 2007 (UW, 3-1)
On The Web
Gametracker will be available at NUsports.com for Friday night's match at Illinois. Livestats for Saturday night's match at Wisconsin will be available only at uwbadgers.com.
