Offense on Full Display at Michigan

11/5/2016 8:25:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

Box Score | Season Stats

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Offensive firepower was on display Saturday night between Northwestern and Michigan in a back-and-forth affair that was ultimately won in four sets by the 17th-ranked Wolverines.

The Wildcats knocked down 55 kills as a team between six players, a large part of which was done by Symone Abbott. The junior and Michigan native racked up 23 kills, averaging nearly six per set. She has ranked among the Big Ten's best in that category all season long. The total was just two shy of her career high.

Gabrielle Hazen and Kayla Morin each had nine kills. Hazen hit .400 to lead the 'Cats in efficiency, while Morin hit .391. Sofia Lavin added seven, and Maddie Slater registered five.

They were set for success all night by Taylor Tashima, who ended up with 44 assists, just five off her season high. She is only 48 assists away from fifth place on Northwestern's all-time assists list. She nearly reached a double-double, adding eight digs to her stat line.

True freshman Sarah Johnson and redshirt-freshman Kaitlin Tavarez each reached double-digits in digs on the back line with 14 and 10, respectively. Johnson also had five assists.

The Wildcats recorded seven total blocks. Hazen led the way with four assisted and was followed by Tashima, who had three.

Northwestern went toe-to-toe with the nationally-ranked Wolverines in the first set, but Michigan went on an 8-1 run to close out the frame, winning it 25-17.

The second set was a whole different story, as the Wildcats, led by Abbott, came out firing. Abbott scored five of the first six points of the set on kills and ended up with 11 kills in that set alone. The Wildcats hit .368 on their way to a 25-17 win.

Michigan responded with 25-19 and 25-17 decisions in the third and fourth sets to win the match.

Chicago's Big Ten Team returns home to the comforts of Welsh-Ryan Arena next weekend when it takes on No. 3 Wisconsin on Saturday, Nov. 12 and No. 2 Minnesota on Sunday, Nov. 13. Both matches are scheduled for 7 p.m.