Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern Begins Season's Final Stretch Hosting Wisconsin, Iowa
11/17/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 17, 2009
Northwestern Volleyball Weekly Release - Nov. 17 
Opening Serve
Northwestern begins the final stretch of the 2009 season, playing three of its final four matches at Welsh-Ryan Arena. The Wildcats host border rival Wisconsin at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20, in the first part of a Welsh-Ryan double header with women's basketball. Iowa then visits Evanston for a 7 p.m. opening serve on Saturday, Nov. 21 as Ariel Baxterbeck and Kate Nobilio will be honored on Senior Night.
Wildcats on the Web
Wildcat fans unable to make it to Evanston this weekend will be able to follow every Northwestern point online. Both matches will be streamed live at BigTenNetwork.com with Gametracker live stats also available. Twitter followers can also get in-match updates @NU_SportsLIVE.
Scouting the Badgers
Season: Wisconsin is 11-14 overall and 6-10 (6th) in the Big Ten. Head Coach: Pete Waite is 256-96 (.727) in his 11th season in Madison and 522-196 (.727) in his 22nd year as a head coach. Outside Hitters: Brittney Dolgner (Sr.) is eighth in the Big Ten is kills per set (3.34), knocking down 291 on the year while adding 31 blocks and ranking second in digs with 236 ... Allison Wack (Jr.) ranks second on the Badgers with 206 kills and has added 22 blocks ... Kirby Toon (Fr.) enters the weekend with 185 kills, 132 digs and 44 blocks and a team-high 17 service aces. Middle Blockers: Elle Ohlander (So.) leads Wisconsin with 55 blocks, adding 156 kills up front ... Alexis Mitchell (Fr.) ranks second on the team with 49 blocks and has eclipsed the century mark with 123 kills. Setter: Janelle Gabrielsen (So.) ranks ninth in the Big Ten in assists per set (9.55) with 87 kills, 226 digs, 15 service aces and 44 blocks. Libero: Kim Kuzma (Jr.) is ninth in the conference in digs per set (3.60) with 99 assists and 14 service aces.
Scouting the Hawkeyes
Season: Iowa is 12-16 on the year and 4-12 (T-9th) in the Big Ten ... The Hawkeyes play at fifth-ranked Illinois before facing the Wildcats Saturday. Head Coach: Sharon Dingman is 26-34 (.433) in her second season in Iowa City and 362-241 (.600) in her 19th season as a head coach. Outside Hitters: Megan Schipper (Sr.) leads Iowa in both kills (295) and service aces (28), is second in digs (281) and has added 41 blocks ... Aimee Huffman (Jr.) is second on the team in both kills (233) and blocks (60) while adding 199 digs and a team-best .268 hitting percentage ... Emma Kreiger Kittle (Fr.) has added 141 kills and 18 blocks up front. Middle Blockers: Becky Walters (R-Jr.) leads Iowa in blocks (81) and is third in both kills (154) and service aces (14) ... Katie Kennedy (Jr.) has added 148 kills and 53 blocks. Setter: Mara Hilgenberg (Jr.) ranks eighth in the Big Ten averaging 9.59 assists per set with 49 kills and 30 blocks. Libero: Christina Meister (Sr.) leads the conference in digs per set (4.43) and is second in service aces (16).
Series Information
Northwestern and Wisconsin get together for the 70th time Friday with the Badgers holding a 44-25 edge in the all-time series. Wisconsin has won the last 11 meetings between the two, including a four-set victory in Madison back on Oct. 24. The Wildcats' last victory in the series came back in 2003 when the 'Cats swept the Badgers at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Saturday marks the 61st meeting between Northwestern and Iowa with the Wildcats holding a 33-26-1 series advantage. The Hawkeyes have won the last three matches in the series, including a 3-0 victory in Iowa City on Oct. 23. Previously, the Wildcats had taken 11 of the previous 12 matches between the two, with NU's last victory a 3-1 decision at Carver-Hawkeye in 2007.
Moffett Joins Ranks of Wildcat Blocking Elite
Junior Sabel Moffett has been one of the major keys to the Wildcats' success this season as she establishes herself as one of the top all-around players in the Big Ten. Moffett has especially made her mark as tone of the conference's top blockers, ranking third in the conference in blocks per set at 1.41. The Big Ten's leader in both overall blocks (147) and solo blocks (24), Moffett sits ninth in the program's history with 265 block assists, needing just four more to surpass Miriam Stariha (1988-91) for eighth all-time. Her 56 solo blocks is tied with Brittney Aldridge (2004-07) for 10th all-time in Wildcat history while her 321 career total blocks continues to inch closer to cracking the top-10 in that category as well.
Nobilio Continues to Solidify Her Place Among Big Ten's Dig Leaders
Senior Kate Nobilio, who has already cemented her legacy as Northwestern's all-time digs leader, continues to establish her place among the Big Ten's all-time dig leaders. Nobilio notched 11 digs against Ohio State Friday, upping her career total to an impressive 2,111. Nobilio, who ranks second in the Big Ten in digs per set (4.42), is the first player in Northwestern history to record over 400 digs in four-straight seasons, and is just 55 shy of notching 500 in each of her four seasons in Evanston. She has also been named the Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Week twice this year (Sept. 1 and Nov. 2).
For the complete weekly release, click the PDF link above.
