Northwestern
8-1
Virginia
6-3
Team Stats
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
Dominant Defense Helps Northwestern Capture Wildcat Classic Crown
9/13/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern welcomed the Virginia Cavaliers to Welsh-Ryan Arena Saturday night and the hosts were able to dispose of their guests in three sets, 25-22, 25-23, 25-18, to win the 33rd Wildcat Classic in thrilling fashion.
Defense was the name of the game for Northwestern in Saturday's nightcap. Wildcat Classic MVP Caroline Niedospial was all over the floor as she secured 26 digs in the three-set victory. That is the second-highest output ever for an NU player in a three-set match. It is also only three digs shy of her own career high of 29, which came at Minnesota in a four-set contest last season. Candice Yager tallied a season-high 10 digs, while three other players - Monica McGreal, Kayla Morin and Caleigh Ryan - tallied at least seven each. Northwestern's 60 team digs matched a season high that was set back on Sept. 6 vs. Brown.
"This was a total team effort tonight," said Northwestern head coach Keylor Chan after his team's eighth win of the season in nine chances. "Virginia pushed us against the wall, particularly in the second set, but the 'Cats never quit. We steadied ourselves, played it one point at a time and willed our way through it."
Northwestern jumped to an early lead by securing a 25-22 victory in the first set. The teams were knotted at 13 points apiece after a Virginia ace, but the Wildcats responded with a 6-2 run that included a service ace from Yager, which prompted the Cavs to call a timeout. The purple and white would lead by as many as five points on two occasions down the stretch before Morin hammered down one of her nine kills to seal the set for NU.
Of note, half of Niedospial's 26 digs came during several back-and-forth rallies in the first set. The Cavaliers were able to secure 11 kills, but they were also plagued by seven errors in the first frame.
Virginia seemed to control the tempo during the second set and it seemed poised to even the ledger at a game apiece with a 17-10 lead during the latter stages. Following an NU timeout, Katie Dutchman scored three kills to keep her team in the game, and eventually Northwestern sliced its deficit to three points at 20-17, which meant UVA called its first timeout of the second set.
The Wildcats methodically chipped away and finally evened the score for the first time since it was 6-6 at 23-all when Morin buried only ace of the evening. The Cavs called their second timeout, but Chan had a trick up his sleeve. He subbed in an extra attacker, Savannah Paffen, for Ryan, the primary setter. Newcomer Symone Abbott pounded down back-to-back kills off of feeds from Niedospial, then Morin, to send the Welsh-Ryan faithful into a frenzy with a 25-23 triumph.
NU hit a match-high .368 with 18 kills during the second stanza. Ryan notched assists on 16 of those points, while three 'Cats had at least four kills during the frantic frame.
Northwestern was determined to end the match right after the intermission. It roared out of the gate to score 10 of the sets first 15 points and did not let up from there. Virginia hung around, but never came closer than four points for the duration of the contest as NU cruised to a 25-18 triumph.
Ryan, who was making her first start of the season Saturday, handed out a match-high 39 assists, while five players had at least seven kills. Middle blocker Maddie Slater was one of those five and she hit a career-best .500 with a personal-best seven terminations. McGral, who joined Niedospial and Dutchman on the All-Wildcat Classic Team, led Northwestern with 11 kills. Dutchman hit .571 in the match, marking the fourth time in nine matches this fall that she has eclipsed .500 for a match.
"It was great to see three of our seniors step up and lead us through this tournament. Katie, Monica, and especially Carks [Niedospial] are very deserving of All-Tournament recognition," added Chan. "I know it can be a sign of more special moments ahead."
The `Cats will return to the court at Welsh Ryan Arena Thursday, Sept. 18 at 7 p.m. against Ohio University for the first match of the Wildcat Challenge. Northwestern will play two matches in the Wildcat Challenge, concluding with a tilt against Green Bay on Sunday, Sept. 21 at 1 p.m.
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