Northwestern Hosts Maryland on Senior Day

11/27/2015 5:17:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

By: Carsten Parmenter

NORTHWESTERN VOLLEYBALL: MATCH INFORMATION
DATE	OPPONENT	TIME	LOCATION	BROADCAST	LIVE STATS
Saturday, Nov. 28	Maryland	2 p.m.	Welsh-Ryan Arena (Evanston, Ill.)	Studio N	Sidearm
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EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern volleyball will recognize its two seniors – Caroline Niedospial and Abbie Kraus – who are playing their final collegiate match on Saturday. The Wildcats play host to Maryland at 2 p.m. at Welsh-Ryan Arena.

The match will be streamed live by Studio N on NUsports.com.

Check out the above video to hear Niedospial and Kraus discuss their Northwestern careers and the emotion of Senior Day.

Dig It
Carks Niedospial ranks among the best liberos in program history. The senior currently sits in second place all-time with 1,773 digs. She moved to second with a dig late in the second set at home vs. Illinois on Nov. 4. She has the fourth (553 in 2013) and fifth (548 in 2014) highest single-season dig totals in Wildcat volleyball history and is currently at 484 this season.

Northwestern All-Time Dig Leaders
1. Kate Nobilio 2006-09    2,194
2. Caroline Niedospial       2011-Pres.        1,773
3. Christie Gardner               2002-05            1,658
4. Janine Makar 1985-88       1,430
5. Julie Chin 2009-12         1,415

Where They Rank
Caroline Niedospial is second in the Big Ten with 4.65 digs per set. Niedospial trails Annika Olsen of Iowa, who averages 4.78 per game. Taylor Tashima is also among the best in the conference with 10.83 assists per set, good for sixth in that category. Abbie Kraus is fourth in the Big Ten in service aces and aces per game, and Maddie Slater has settled into top territory with her .342 hitting mark.

Nation's Most Tested
Northwestern has the toughest schedule in the nation based off of opponents' won-loss record. The Wildcats opponents, past and future, in 2015 have compiled a cumulative winning percentage of .656. Oklahoma is next closest, having played a schedule with a combined winning percentage of .653. Northwestern's non-conference and Big Ten slate so far is rated the second-hardest in the country.

An Efficient Attack
Junior Maddie Slater has been incredibly efficient attacking the ball in 2015 with a .342 mark through 30 contests. Slater has recorded 209 kills on 445 attempts, while committing only 57 errors. Slater is close to No. 1 on the single-season attack percentage list at Northwestern. The current leader is Sabel Moffett, who hit .349 in 2009. Slater's teammate, sophomore Taylor Tashima, is also hitting the ball remarkably well with a .329 mark on 210 attempts.