Kayla Morin Notches Milestone Kill No. 1,000

11/18/2016 10:54:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

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By Kjetil Odden, NUsports.com contributor

EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern senior Kayla Morin reached a significant milestone Friday night, becoming only the 23rd player in school history to record 1,000 career kills. Entering the night with 999, Morin wasted no time in notching the one she needed, finishing off an assist from Taylor Tashima early in the first set.

"Kayla has a positive impact on our program," head coach Shane Davis said. "She is a great player and a great ambassador of the university. She is an outstanding individual, and we are going to miss her."

Morin joined teammate Symone Abbott in the 1,000 kills club.

"I am really happy to reach the milestone," Morin said. "I am just really honored to be a part of this program."

Abbott finished with a match-high 21 kills on .309 hitting in what was another impressive performance for the standout junior. Tashima totaled 41 assists, and freshman Sarah Johnson led the team with 17 digs.

The Wildcats dropped the match to No. 24 Ohio State in four sets at Welsh-Ryan Arena.

The Wildcats' attack was nearly unstoppable out of the gate, leading the team to a 25-23 win over the nationally ranked Buckeyes in the first set.

With an offense that was boosted by Morin's achievement in the opening frame, Abbott led the charge with six kills, while Tashima added an impressive 13 assists. Senior Maddie Slater contributed to a team hitting percentage of .270 in the first set.

Northwestern continued its strong play throughout the entire night, making every set exciting in a match that was eventually won by the Buckeyes.

The second set was just as competitive as the first, but Ohio State was able to escape with a narrow 25-23 victory, tying the match at one apiece. Abbott added another five kills to her total, while Slater picked up four. Tashima registered double-digit assists yet again while also collecting two kills.

NU dropped the third and fourth sets in two more tight contests, each finishing 25-21.

Chicago's Big Ten Team will be back on the court tomorrow night to face Maryland in the last home match of the season. The match is set to start at 7 p.m. in Welsh-Ryan Arena. The Wildcats' seniors will be recognized in a pre-match ceremony.