#B1GCats Tame Gamecocks in Four Sets

9/1/2017 1:43:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

DURHAM, N.C. — Northwestern once again showed that a slow start is no barrier to success.

After losing the first set to South Carolina, Northwestern (3-1) picked up the final three to defeat the Gamecocks, 3-1. The Wildcats are undefeated in two matches this season when losing the first set.

First-year outside Nia Robinson led Northwestern in hitting percentage, finishing at a dominating .471 clip, while her 19 kills were one away from tying her career-high mark of 20.

Senior setter Taylor Tashima recorded her first double-double of the season and Northwestern's third overall. She had 46 assists and 10 digs.

Northwestern came out to a slow start against the Gamecocks, dropping the first set, 25-13. Senior outside Symone Abbott continued to move up the Wildcat record book, sliding up to 11th all-time in NU career kills with her fifth of the contest.

After another meandering beginning in the second set, NU tied up the game at six points apiece. The #B1GCats then went on a 5-0 run to give Northwestern an 11-6 advantage.

The 'Cats were able to continue putting the press on USC, taking advantage of back-to-back-to-back kills by Robinson and a pair of Gamecock attack errors to push the score to 16-9. Northwestern held on, 25-18, to win the second set and even up the competition at one game apiece.

For the first half of the third set, NU and USC played evenly-matched volleyball. With the score 13-12 (NU led), the advantage had been no more than in two points in either direction. The Wildcats had yet another late-set run (10-4) and pushed their advantage to 23-15. A late Gamecocks push wasn't enough, and NU won their second set, 25-18.

The third set was the most technically proficient for the 'Cats, as NU hit to a .414 clip while only committing three hitting errors.

In a change, Northwestern took control of the fourth set from the beginning. The 'Cats took advantage of some unforced errors by USC, as the Gamecocks hit .121 in the fourth set. Chicago's Big Ten Team was able to put away the fourth match in convincing fashion, 25-19.

After hitting .083 in the first set, Northwestern hit a combined .326 in the final three sets. In comparison, the Gamecocks hit .414 in the opener and hit .110 over the last three.

The Wildcats will continue at the Duke Invitational with a 6 p.m. CT matchup against the host Blue Devils. The contest will be live streamed on ESPN3.

NOTABLE: First-years Ivey Whalen and Amy Wang made their first starts as Wildcats … Nia Robinson's hitting percentage of .471 was the best so far this season for Northwestern (min. 12 kills) … She hit .846, combined, in the final two sets (11 kills, 14 TAs) … First-year Lexi Pitsas set her career-best with 11 digs … Northwestern improves to 2-0 against South Carolina, with their previous win coming in 1981 … Northwestern (.260) led in hitting percentage versus their opponent for the fourth-straight time this season … Symone Abbott's 49 TAs give her 3,512 for her career, now 10th-most in NU history.