DURHAM, N.C. — Northwestern topped undefeated Duke in a three-set sweep Friday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
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The Blue Devils, who received 10 votes in the most recent AVCA poll, were felled in part by the sustained hitting percentage performance of the Wildcats (4-1). Northwestern sustained a season-best .394 clip after committing only nine attacking errors.
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This was the second match of the day in which Northwestern topped an undefeated opponent and the fifth-straight contest this season in which the 'Cats have posted a higher hitting percentage than their opponent.
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Northwestern won 25-21, 25-22, 25-22.
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Three Wildcats had remarkably unblemished performances against Duke. Led by senior middle blocker Gabrielle Hazen's .700 clip (8 K, 1 E, 10 TAs), first-year outside Nia Robinson (.500; 15 K, 2 E, 26 TAs) and the performance of senior outside Symone Abbott (.325; 15 K, 2 E, 40 TAs), NU was able to record the start-to-finish defeat of Duke.
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Northwestern was able to do what they weren't able to do against South Carolina — win the first set. Led by a phenomenal .433 clip in the match opener, the 'Cats topped Duke, 25-21. Hazen had a pair of digs and a pair of blocks in the effort.
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Despite NU's proclivity toward getting a lead in the first set, the 'Cats were barren in that prowess in the beginning of the second set as Duke quickly and decisively took a 15-9 advantage. Northwestern continued to trail until later in the match, when a Blue Devil attack error gave NU the 21-20 edge.
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The score would remain back-and-forth until a Symone Abbott kill and a Sarah Johnson ace put the second set in the Wildcats' favor, 25-22.
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In the third set, Hazen, Abbott, and Robinson combined for 14 kills in another back-and-forth affair. The Blue Devils attempted a late run but were met with strong resistance by the #B1GCats, who finished the set with a 25-22 final.
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The Wildcats will play North Carolina-Wilmington Saturday morning at 11 a.m. CT as NU seeks to finish the Duke Invitational with an unblemished, 3-0 mark. The match, like all the rest in Durham, will be streamed on WatchESPN.
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NOTABLE: After recording a .471 hitting percentage in Friday's opener against South Carolina, Nia Robinson upped the Wildcats' mark of best attack percentage (min. 12 kills) this season with her .500 performance … Symone Abbott's and Nia Robinson's 15 kills are tied for the most in a three-set match this season for Northwestern … Symone Abbott's .325 hitting percentage was a season best … As of the evening of Sept. 1, Abbott's 4.22 kills per set rate is tops in the Big Ten (min. 10 sets) … Lexi Pitsas tied her career-high with 11 digs … The Wildcats improve to 2-0 in black jerseys.
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The Blue Devils, who received 10 votes in the most recent AVCA poll, were felled in part by the sustained hitting percentage performance of the Wildcats (4-1). Northwestern sustained a season-best .394 clip after committing only nine attacking errors.
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This was the second match of the day in which Northwestern topped an undefeated opponent and the fifth-straight contest this season in which the 'Cats have posted a higher hitting percentage than their opponent.
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Northwestern won 25-21, 25-22, 25-22.
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Three Wildcats had remarkably unblemished performances against Duke. Led by senior middle blocker Gabrielle Hazen's .700 clip (8 K, 1 E, 10 TAs), first-year outside Nia Robinson (.500; 15 K, 2 E, 26 TAs) and the performance of senior outside Symone Abbott (.325; 15 K, 2 E, 40 TAs), NU was able to record the start-to-finish defeat of Duke.
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Northwestern was able to do what they weren't able to do against South Carolina — win the first set. Led by a phenomenal .433 clip in the match opener, the 'Cats topped Duke, 25-21. Hazen had a pair of digs and a pair of blocks in the effort.
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Despite NU's proclivity toward getting a lead in the first set, the 'Cats were barren in that prowess in the beginning of the second set as Duke quickly and decisively took a 15-9 advantage. Northwestern continued to trail until later in the match, when a Blue Devil attack error gave NU the 21-20 edge.
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The score would remain back-and-forth until a Symone Abbott kill and a Sarah Johnson ace put the second set in the Wildcats' favor, 25-22.
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In the third set, Hazen, Abbott, and Robinson combined for 14 kills in another back-and-forth affair. The Blue Devils attempted a late run but were met with strong resistance by the #B1GCats, who finished the set with a 25-22 final.
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The Wildcats will play North Carolina-Wilmington Saturday morning at 11 a.m. CT as NU seeks to finish the Duke Invitational with an unblemished, 3-0 mark. The match, like all the rest in Durham, will be streamed on WatchESPN.
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NOTABLE: After recording a .471 hitting percentage in Friday's opener against South Carolina, Nia Robinson upped the Wildcats' mark of best attack percentage (min. 12 kills) this season with her .500 performance … Symone Abbott's and Nia Robinson's 15 kills are tied for the most in a three-set match this season for Northwestern … Symone Abbott's .325 hitting percentage was a season best … As of the evening of Sept. 1, Abbott's 4.22 kills per set rate is tops in the Big Ten (min. 10 sets) … Lexi Pitsas tied her career-high with 11 digs … The Wildcats improve to 2-0 in black jerseys.
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