Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Illinois
Northwestern Drops Four-Set Heartbreaker To Fifth-Ranked Illinois
11/25/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 25, 2009
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Northwestern vs. Illinois Box Score 
2009 Northwestern Volleyball Statistics
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern gave fifth-ranked Illinois all it could handle, but the Illini handed the Wildcats a heartbreaking 24-26, 21-25, 25-11, 23-25 loss at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Junior Naomi Johnson (Bloomington, Minn./Kennedy) notched a match-high 17 kills, five blocks and four service aces, while senior Kate Nobilio (Johnsburg, Ill./Johnsburg) recorded 27 digs, moving into a tie for second-place all-time in Big Ten history in her final match at Welsh-Ryan.
It was a match in which on paper, Northwestern (16-15, 7-12 Big Ten) outplayed fifth-ranked Illinois (24-4, 16-3). The Wildcats had the advantage in kills (57-49), assists (55-44), service aces (8-4) and digs (70-56). But the Illini's 10 fewer hitting errors and four extra blocks proved to be enough to earn the victory.
Nobilio's 27 digs is her second-highest output of the season. Early in the fourth set, she notched her 2,179th career dig, moving her past Michigan's Stesha Selsky (2004-07) into third all-time in Big Ten history. Nobilio would tally three more in the final set, and now currently sits in a tie with Wisconsin's Jocelyn Wack (2004-07) for second-place with 2,182 career saves with one match remaining. Nobilio also upped her season total to 517, currently the fourth-best single season performance in school history and giving her 500 digs for the fourth-straight season.
Johnson's four service aces is a new career best as she eclipsed the 300-kill mark on the season, sitting at 306. Junior Sabel Moffett (Temecula, Calif./Chapparal) added 12 kills and a pair of blocks of her own. Junior Brittani Gray (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore) and redshirt freshman Kathryn Chrystal (Crystal Lake, Ill./Central) each added nine kills to the Wildcat attack, tying a career-best for Chrystal as she also recorded her 100th career kill.
Senior Ariel Baxterbeck (Menlo Park, Calif./Castilleja) had seven kills and 17 digs in her final home game as a Wildcat, with junior Elyse Glab (Chicago, Ill/Resurrection) adding 47 assists, seven digs and three kills. Sophomore Mary Grace Gallagher (Atlanta, Ga./The Lovett School) also was a factor off the bench, recording a pair of service aces (a career-best) with four digs.
With its NCAA tournament hopes still alive, the Wildcats came out energized in front of a national Big Ten Network audience. NU tallied seven of the first nine points in the opening set, then extended that lead to eight at 19-11. Leading 23-16, it appeared the 'Cats were poised to take set one, but Illinois would mount a 10-1 run to steal the opening tilt from Northwestern 26-24.
Both teams would exchange points early in set two, with the Illini slowly building a four-point advantage at 19-15, only to see the Wildcats answer with four-straight points of their own to knot the set at 19. But again, it was Illinois that was able to close it out down the stretch, using a 6-2 run to take set two 25-21.
Fighting for its postseason life, Northwestern came out firing on all cylinders in set three. Leading 5-4 early, the Wildcats would score 20 of the next 27 points, including a 13-3 run to break the set open, routing the Illini 25-11 in set three behind four kills from Johnson and three from Moffett.
Set four again played out to be competitive from the opening serve as Northwestern and Illinois combined for eight ties and four lead changes. After rallying back from an early 7-2 deficit, the Wildcats matched the Illini point for point down the stretch. With set four tied at 22, Illinois would mount one final run, taking three of the next four to seal the decision.
The Illini's Laura DeBruler finished with 16 kills while Michelle Bartsch added 11 kills and a match-high nine blocks. Kylie McCulley also finished with 11 kills for Illinois with Johannah Bangert adding eight blocks up front.
Northwestern now looks to keep its postseason chances alive on the road, traveling north to Minnesota. The Wildcats will spend Thanksgiving Day in the Twin Cities before taking on the 13th-ranked Golden Gophers at 7 p.m. Friday, November 27.
