Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Rutgers
#B1GCats Return Home, Host Rutgers
10/24/2017 2:17:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
| NORTHWESTERN VOLLEYBALL: MATCH DAY INFORMATION | ||||||
| DATE | OPPONENT | TIME | LOCATION | BROADCAST | RADIO | LIVE STATS |
| Wednesday, Sept. 24 |
Rutgers | 7 p.m. | Historic Beardsley Gym Evanston, Ill. |
BTN Plus on BTN2Go | WNUR | Stats |
| Social: Twitter (@NUVBall and @NU_SportsLive) | Instagram (@NUVBall) | Facebook Northwestern Match Notes | Rutgers Match Notes Historic Beardsley Gym Fan Guide |
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EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern will play its second midweek match of the season on Wednesday, hosting Rutgers at historic Beardsley Gym in Evanston Township High School.
As part of the run-up to Senior Day, Wednesday's contest will begin Northwestern's "Senior Spotlight," with this contest featuring setter Taylor Tashima.
PRIOR RETURNS
Northwestern has logged a 12-10 record through 22 competitions in its 2017 campaign ... NU has surpassed their win output from last season ... The 'Cats posted a nine-match winning streak from Aug. 26 to Sept. 16.
The Wildcats topped Rutgers in straight sets when the two squads met in New Brunswick on September 29 ... Northwestern hit .485, their fifth-best clip in a single match in program history.
SCOUTING RUTGERS
Rutgers is 5-17 on the season and is 0-10 in conference play thus far. Last season, the Scarlet Knights finished with a 4-29 record, posting an 0-20 record in conference. As a team, Rutgers is ranked sixth in the conference in team total service aces with 102 on the year. First-year Kamila Cieslik ranks second in the conference with 32 total aces on the season, while also leading the Scarlet Knights with 215 kills on the year ... Rutgers is currently ranked 232 in the NCAA RPI, compared to Northwestern's mark of 66. Northwestern has defeated Rutgers in all four of their matchups since the Scarlet Knights joined the Big Ten Conference.
HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT
The 'Cats have been very efficient on firing away with their attacks, as their .253 team hitting percentage is top-50 in the nation ... If you needed any reminder of how dominant the Big Ten is for volleyball, that mark is also ninth-best in the conference ... NU also ranks 84th in the nation in kills per set, which is 12th in the conference.
CHART TOPPERS
Symone Abbott leads the Big Ten with 317 kills while Nia Robinson is ranked eighth with 251. Abbott is first in the Big Ten and 20th in the nation with 4.34 kills per set while Robinson is 12th in the conference with 3.35 kills per set. Abbott's 4.34 kills per set would be the third-highest in program history if the season ended today.
SHE'S HAZEN A GREAT SEASON
Gabrielle Hazen's .340 hitting percentage in 324 attempts is 13th-best in the Big Ten. If she can maintain that clip, she will finish the program's sixth highest percentage in a single season (min. 400 attempts). Hazen also is sixth in the Big Ten with an average of 1.20 blocks per set. Her 2.15 kills per set is the senior's highest average in her four years at Northwestern.
DYNAMIC DUO
In the Wildcats' match against Maryland on Oct. 13, Nia Robinson and Symone Abbott became the first Wildcats' duo to notch 20-plus kills since Stephanie Holthus and Katie Dutchman in 2013. Abbott's career-high 29 kills vs. Maryland are tied for the fifth most in NU history in an individual match and are also tied for the most an NU player has recorded this season (last since Abbott vs Indiana on Oct. 6). Robinson's 25 kills are the third most an NU player has recorded this season.
AT THE PACE SHE'S ON...
Senior Taylor Tashima is ranked 25th in the country and fifth in the Big Ten with 11.15 assists per set ... That rate is the best of Tashima's career and would be the 10th best in program history if the season ended today ... In addition, Tashima's 836 total assists are in the top-65 in the nation and is the fourth in the Big Ten.
AN EYE ON THE RECORD BOOK
Symone Abbott (kills-4th, kills per set-2nd) and Taylor Tashima (assists-4th, assists per set-4th) both are poised to etch their names into Northwestern history.
Gabrielle Hazen is now in sixth place in career hitting-percentage, having crossed the 1,000 TAs mark for qualification. Abbott needs 85 kills to move into sole possession of third place (Erika Lange, 1,618), while Tashima has moved into fourth place in NU history in assists.
THE ROAD TO 4,000
Currently sitting at 3,880 career assists, Taylor Tashima needs 120 assists to reach 4,000 on her career. If she reaches that record, she would become one of only 46 players in Big Ten history to do so.
AT YOUR SERVICE (ACE)
The Wildcats have been strong at their service game this season, as their 1.72 aces per set mark is the best in the conference and is the 10th best in the nation ... Two NU players (Taylor Tashima and Sarah Johnson) are currently ranked in the top-10 of the conference for aces per set.
CAN YOU DIG IT
In the Wildcats' win over Indiana on Oct. 6, two 'Cats players (Taylor Tashima and Lexi Pitsas) recorded 20+ digs for the second time this season (last since Bowling Green on Sept. 16).
