Friday, September 2
Dayton, Ohio
2:30 p.m.
Northwestern
4-0
3
vs
0
UT-Chattanooga
4-1
1
2
3
F
Northwestern
25
25
25
3
Chattanooga
11
17
20
0
Northwestern Dominates Chattanooga to Begin Dayton Invitational
9/2/2016 4:36:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Box Score | Season Stats
DAYTON, Ohio – Three Wildcats hit over .600 and six got on the board with kills as Northwestern dominated Chattanooga with another impressive offensive performance in the opener of the Dayton Invitational on Friday.
The three-set sweep was the third for the 'Cats in four matches so far in 2016.
"We have done a great job working together as a team," head coach Shane Davis said. "We continue to prepare well and maintain a high level of focus and composure."
The Wildcats already led the Big Ten and were second in the country with a .380 team hitting percentage, but Northwestern far surpassed that mark, hitting .416 against the Mocs, tying the team season-high for kills in a three-match set with 48.
Northwestern jumped out to an 11-1 lead to begin the match on the heels of five kills by junior middle blocker Gabrielle Hazen on the same number of attempts. The Wildcats never looked back, increasing that lead to 18-4 and going on to outplay the Mocs in every statistical category.
Symone Abbott once again led the offense, improving her conference-best kills number with another 12 on Friday. Hazen ended the day with nine kills on 13 attempts and zero errors, while Kayla Morin reached double-digits with 11 in her best hitting performance of the season so far.
Morin just missed a double-double, adding nine digs, three blocks and an assist.
Sofia Lavin (7), Taylor Tashima (5), and Maddie Slater (4) also registered kills for the 'Cats. Slater continues to hit at a record-setting pace, as her career .323 percentage ranks at the top of the all-time list for Northwestern.
Tashima moved into ninth place on the all-time assists list in program history with her final one against Chattanooga. Her 37 on Friday gave Tashima 2,195 for her career, moving her ahead of Heather Fredin (1988-91). Next up on the list is Jackie Nunez (1983-85), who Tashima trails by 140.
The defense was again a strong point for the Wildcats as well. NU held Chattanooga to just .104 hitting, while tying a season-high with seven blocks. Northwestern set a season high with 51 digs, with sophomore libero Katie Kniep registering 14 and Tashima adding 12.
Chicago's Big Ten Team faces its toughest test yet tomorrow afternoon against Dayton, who is receiving votes in the most recent AVCA Coaches Poll and will be playing at home.
"Dayton is a very disciplined and well-coached team," Davis said. "Combine that with a home court environment and they will be a very tough team to beat. We need to play well in a tough environment to win tomorrow."
First serve between Northwestern and Dayton is scheduled for 12 p.m. CT and will be streamed online live by the Atlantic-10 Network. The Wildcats play Xavier immediately after at 3 p.m. to wrap up the Dayton Invitational.
DAYTON, Ohio – Three Wildcats hit over .600 and six got on the board with kills as Northwestern dominated Chattanooga with another impressive offensive performance in the opener of the Dayton Invitational on Friday.
The three-set sweep was the third for the 'Cats in four matches so far in 2016.
"We have done a great job working together as a team," head coach Shane Davis said. "We continue to prepare well and maintain a high level of focus and composure."
The Wildcats already led the Big Ten and were second in the country with a .380 team hitting percentage, but Northwestern far surpassed that mark, hitting .416 against the Mocs, tying the team season-high for kills in a three-match set with 48.
Northwestern jumped out to an 11-1 lead to begin the match on the heels of five kills by junior middle blocker Gabrielle Hazen on the same number of attempts. The Wildcats never looked back, increasing that lead to 18-4 and going on to outplay the Mocs in every statistical category.
Symone Abbott once again led the offense, improving her conference-best kills number with another 12 on Friday. Hazen ended the day with nine kills on 13 attempts and zero errors, while Kayla Morin reached double-digits with 11 in her best hitting performance of the season so far.
Morin just missed a double-double, adding nine digs, three blocks and an assist.
Sofia Lavin (7), Taylor Tashima (5), and Maddie Slater (4) also registered kills for the 'Cats. Slater continues to hit at a record-setting pace, as her career .323 percentage ranks at the top of the all-time list for Northwestern.
Tashima moved into ninth place on the all-time assists list in program history with her final one against Chattanooga. Her 37 on Friday gave Tashima 2,195 for her career, moving her ahead of Heather Fredin (1988-91). Next up on the list is Jackie Nunez (1983-85), who Tashima trails by 140.
The defense was again a strong point for the Wildcats as well. NU held Chattanooga to just .104 hitting, while tying a season-high with seven blocks. Northwestern set a season high with 51 digs, with sophomore libero Katie Kniep registering 14 and Tashima adding 12.
Chicago's Big Ten Team faces its toughest test yet tomorrow afternoon against Dayton, who is receiving votes in the most recent AVCA Coaches Poll and will be playing at home.
"Dayton is a very disciplined and well-coached team," Davis said. "Combine that with a home court environment and they will be a very tough team to beat. We need to play well in a tough environment to win tomorrow."
First serve between Northwestern and Dayton is scheduled for 12 p.m. CT and will be streamed online live by the Atlantic-10 Network. The Wildcats play Xavier immediately after at 3 p.m. to wrap up the Dayton Invitational.
••••••
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Team Stats
NU
UTC
Kills
48
29
Errors
6
18
Attempts
101
106
Hitting %
.416
.104
Points
58.0
32.0
Assists
44
27
Aces
3
1
Blocks
7.0
2.0
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
12
Aces
1
Blocks
0
Kills
11
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
7
Aces
1
Blocks
1
Players Mentioned
OH
/ Women's VolleyballMB
/ Women's Volleyball
DS/L
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's VolleyballRS/OH
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
S
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