Northwestern Gives No. 7 Minnesota All It Could Handle

Friday, November 17

Evanston, Ill. (Evanston Township HS)

7 p.m.

Northwestern

14-15, 4-13Big Ten

Minnesota

25-3, 14-3Big Ten

Minnesota

Northwestern

Northwestern Gives No. 7 Minnesota All It Could Handle

11/18/2017 6:25:00 AM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern gave No. 7 Minnesota all it could handle on Friday night in front of a raucous crowd at historic Beardsley Gymnasium in Evanston Township High School.

The Wildcats saw dominant performances from their first-year players, with Nia Robinson totaling 23 kills on the night while Danyelle Williams tied her career high with eight kills.

On her Senior Spotlight night, Gabrielle Hazen finished with 10 kills for a .571 percentage along with seven total blocks. Seniors Symone Abbott and Taylor Tashima also turned in impressive performances, with Tashima totaling a match-high 50 assists and nine digs, while Abbott recorded nine kills and four assists of her own.

The Wildcats led in every set of the match and outperformed Minnesota in nearly every statistical category, hitting .331 to Minnesota's .254, recording 60 kills to Minnesota's 55 and also finishing with more digs and blocks as team. But despite a valiant effort from Northwestern, Minnesota took the match 3-1 in a four-set thriller.

Northwestern battled Minnesota close in the first set thanks to strong play from Robinson and Williams. Robinson led the 'Cats with six kills in the set while Williams added four, hitting for a .667 clip. As a team, Northwestern hit for a .375 percentage while Minnesota hit .345. The lead changed five times throughout the set, however a late run by Minnesota helped the Gophers take the set, 25-22, to take a 1-0 advantage in the match.

The #B1GCats kept the nation's No. 7 team on the ropes throughout the entire second set as well. Northwestern was leading for the majority of the set thanks to a balanced offensive attack, with five players registering multiple kills. Robinson led the 'Cats with six kills, while Abbott and Hazen each added three and four, respectively.

Minnesota pulled ahead 24-22 late in the set, but NU fought off consecutive set points to send the set into extra points. After going back-and-forth in extra time, Minnesota eked out a narrow 29-27 lead to take a 2-0 advantage in the match. The Wildcats hit for a .310 percentage in the set while holding Minnesota to a .250 clip.

Northwestern dominated the third set en route to a 25-13 victory to cut the deficit to 2-1 in the match. The #B1GCats' offense exploded for 17 kills while hitting for a .467 clip in the set, holding Minnesota to a .065 percentage. A 12-1 run by Northwestern in the middle of the set helped the Wildcats open up the lead which they never relinquished. Tashima totaled 15 assists in the set to bring her total to 39 on the night. Robinson led all players with six kills, while Abbott added five of her own. First-year Lexi Pitsas recorded seven kills during the set and finished the night with 15 digs, tied for the fourth most of her career.

The Wildcats jumped out to another lead to start the fourth set, however Minnesota rallied back to take the set, 25-19, and win the match. Robinson led the 'Cats with five kills in the set, while Hazen and first-year Alana Walker each added three kills of their own. Walker finished the match with eight kills on 16 attempts.

Chicago's Big Ten Team will be back at home for Senior Day this Sunday, November 19, when it hosts No. 12 Wisconsin at 1 p.m.