Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Michigan State
Moffett's 10 Kills Fuels Wildcat Sweep of Spartans
11/1/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 1, 2008
NU vs. Michigan State Box Score 
2008 Northwestern Volleyball Statistics
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Sparked by 10 kills by sophomore Sabel Moffett (Temecula, Calif./Chapparal) and an additional eight from sophomore Brittani Gray (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore), Northwestern took a big three set victory over Michigan State 25-18, 26-24, 25-23 at Welsh-Ryan Arena. The victory snaps the Wildcats' four-match losing streak as NU improves to 8-15 on the year and 2-10 in Big Ten Conference play, while the Spartans drop to 12-11 on the season and 4-8 in conference action.
Northwestern set the tone early, jumping out to a 10-5 lead in the opening stanza. It pushed that advantage to as many as eight at 23-15 and held on to take the first set 25-18. Moffett recorded five kills in the opening frame with Gray, junior Ariel Baxterbeck (Menlo Park, Calif./Castilleja) and sophomore Naomi Johnson (Bloomington, Minn./Kennedy) adding a pair each. Senior Chelsy Hyser (Belvidere, Ill./Belvidere) contributed at the nets in a defensive fashion, blocking three Michigan State attacks, with sophomore Elyse Glab (Chicago, Ill./Resurrection) adding a pair of blocks to go along with her nine assists.
The Wildcats carried that momentum into the second set, building a four-point cushion at 15-11. Michigan State responded with a 7-1 run of its own to take the 18-16 advantage, and after falling behind 23-21 rallied again to get to set point at 24-23. But Northwestern would take the final three points of the set to earn the 26-24 victory and take a commanding two sets to none advantage into the break. Moffett again paced the `Cats with four kills and was complimented by a pair each from Gray and freshman Madalyn Shalter (Ottawa, Ohio/Ottawa-Glandorf). Defensively, Hyser added three more blocks while junior Kate Nobilio (Johnsburg, Ill./Johnsburg) registered seven digs.
Michigan State jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the third set, but the Wildcats would not be denied in their quest for their first home court conference victory. NU roared back to take a 16-12 lead before the Spartans tied the set at 22. A pair of kills from Johnson sealed the victory for the `Cats as Northwestern earns the season split with Michigan State.
Moffett had a pair of blocks to go along with her 10 kills and Gray added four blocks of her own. Hyser had only two kills on the night, but came up big with six blocks for the Wildcats. Johnson and Glab each had four kills on the night, with Glab adding 26 assists and three blocks. Nobilio anchored the Northwestern defense once again, notching 16 digs.
It's back to the road for the Wildcats this coming weekend as NU travels to Ann Arbor, Mich., to face the 22nd-ranked Wolverines on Friday, Nov. 7, with the opening serve set for 6 p.m. Central. Northwestern then heads south to Columbus, Ohio, to meet up with Ohio State at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 8. The match against the Buckeyes marks NU's final appearance on the Big Ten Network this season.
