Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Host Ninth-Ranked Illini for In-State Showdown
11/4/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
| Northwestern (14-9, 4-8 B1G) vs. No. 9 Illinois (18-5, 10-2 B1G) |
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| Date | Time | November 5 | 7:00 p.m. CT |
| Location | Welsh-Ryan Arena | Evanston, Ill. |
| Live Stats | GameTracker |
| Watch Live | BTN Plus on BTN2GO |
| Social Media | @NUVball  | Northwestern Volleyball  | @nu_volleyball  |
| Notes (PDF) | Northwestern | Illinois |
EVANSTON, Ill. -- In a stretch when five of six matches are on the road, Northwestern returns home to the familiar confines of Welsh-Ryan Arena Wednesday night to host No. 9 Illinois in an important Big Ten battle that has in-state bragging rights on the line.
The Illini are the only Big Ten team that Northwestern has yet to compete against this season, but the two will meet up twice in the span of four days. The Wildcats will make the trip south on Interstate 57 this weekend for a rematch on Saturday, Nov. 8. That contest has been picked up by the Big Ten Network and has been moved up two hours from the previously announced start time. The first serve is now set for 5 p.m. Saturday with Mike Wolf and Audrey Flaugh handling the broadcast.
Opening Serve
Northwestern will continue its 38th season of intercollegiate volleyball when it returns home for the first of two back-to-back matches against in-state rival Illinois. The Wildcats will open the series against the ninth-ranked Illini on Wednesday night at Welsh-Ryan Arena before traveling to Champaign to meet Illinois again on Sat. Nov. 8 at 5 p.m. Saturday's contest will be televised live on the Big Ten Network.
Catch the 'Cats for a Buck
All fans who arrive to Welsh-Ryan Area wearing purple to support the Wildcats will be able to purchase a day-of-match ticket for just $1 while supplies last. The box office opens at 6 p.m., one hour prior to the first serve at 7 p.m.
Twice As Nice
Northwestern head coach Keylor Chan opted to employ a modified 6-2 offensive system for the first time this season when the Wildcats hosted No. 13 Purdue on Oct. 25. Freshman setter Taylor Tashima, who had started 16 matches at that position, shared time with sophomore Caleigh Ryan, while also filling the role of an attacker in the front row. Ryan is averaging 6.06 assists per set and 1.76 digs, while Tashima is chipping in with 5.47 assists per set, 2.41 kills and 2.18 digs per frame since the lineup change. Tashima posted career-highs in kills (14 vs. Indiana) and digs (20 vs. Purdue) over the first weekend, while narrowly missing a triple-double both nights (9 K-28 A-20 D vs. PUR and 14 K-26 A-9 D vs. IU). Kayla Morin has also benefitted from a move from the right side to the left. The sophomore is averaging 3.12 kills per set in the last four matches after averaging 2.60 through the first 19 contests. Morin went for a career-high 22 kills against the Boilermakers on Oct. 24. Senior Savannah Paffen has regularly rotated into the front row in place of Ryan. Paffen is hitting .340 with 1.59 kills per set and 0.65 blocks per set since Oct. 24.
Top-Ten Takedowns
According to this week's AVCA coaches poll, the Illini bring a No. 9 national ranking with them to Evanston Wednesday night. The last time the Wildcats knocked off a top-10 team was on Nov. 26, 2011 when the `Cats toppled second-ranked Nebraska in four sets at Welsh-Ryan Arena. The last time Illinois traveled to Evanston with a top-ten ranking was on Nov. 5, 2010 when the 24th ranked Wildcats beat their sixth-ranked foes from Champaign in straight sets.
Dutchman Delivers
Middle blocker Katie Dutchman turned in two of her best performances of the season over the past weekend on the road against Michigan and Michigan State. On the defensive side, Dutchman recorded a season-high 10 blocks against Michigan, just one short of matching her career-high, which also came against the Wolverines on Oct. 23, 2011. Dutchman leads the `Cats with 1.02 blocks per set this year. On the offensive side, the Del Mar, Calif., native put away a season-high 14 kills against Michigan State at a clip of .542. That marked the ninth time this season that she hit .500 or better for the Wildcats.
Career-High Clips
Several Wildcats turned in career-best performances during the `Cats' last homestand. Libero Caroline Niedospial notched a career-high 34 digs against No. 13 Purdue, tying her for fourth place on NU's all-time, single-match, record list. Outside hitter Kayla Morin notched 22 kills on 59 swings against the Boilermakers, both career highs. In the same match, setter Taylor Tashima finished with 20 digs, nine kills (career highs) and 28 assists. The following night against Indiana the freshman eclipsed her short-lived high in kills by five for a new best mark of 14.
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