Friday, September 29
Piscataway, N.J.
6 p.m.
Northwestern
11-4, 1-2Big Ten
3
at
0
Rutgers
5-10, 0-3Big Ten
1
2
3
F
Northwestern
25
25
25
3
Rutgers
19
13
12
0
Season-High Hitting Percentage Leads NU to Rutgers Sweep
9/29/2017 7:33:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. — Northwestern (11-4, 1-2 Big Ten) picked up their first conference victory on Friday, a three-set sweep of Rutgers (5-10, 0-3 Big Ten) at College Ave. Gym.
With the victory, Northwestern has surpassed their win total from 2016 with more than half of the season left to play.
Chicago's Big Ten Team hit .485 en route to the straight-sets win, posting a clip over .400 for the first time all season and the first time since hitting .416 against Chattanooga on September 2, 2016. That output is the eighth-best in the Big Ten this season and is the fifth-best in NU history.
Senior outside hitter Symone Abbott had arguably her strongest game for the Wildcats this year, posting a .565 hitting percentage — her highest output since posting a career-high .700 clip against Buffalo over a year ago (Aug. 27, 2016). The Northville, Michigan, native also surpassed Liz Douglass (1980-83) on the NU career all-time kills list and currently sits in sole possession of seventh place.
Despite a quick volley back-and-forth for the lead in the early half of the first set, the Wildcats were able to take control. Abbott went errorless in the match opener, accumulating five kills on 11 swings, good for a .455 hitting percentage. The Wildcats combined for five blocks, led by three players with a pair of attack stoppers. As a team, NU hit .379 in the first set.
The Wildcats' offensive output was reinforced in the second set, as NU's squad combined for a .533 clip, recording 10 kills on 15 swings. Abbott's service in the second set was a catalyst for Northwestern's success, as the senior boasted three aces.
Rutgers was only able to amass one dig in the set, contributing to the Wildcats' offensive performance. NU pushed their lead to two sets to none with their 25-13 finish.
NU was efficient in putting away the Scarlet Knights in the third set, making only one error on 24 attacks (.542 hit%). Finishing her strong performance, Abbott posted six kills on 10 attacks with no errors. The Wildcats won 25-12 to finish the three-set sweep.
The Wildcats face-off against No. 3 Penn State on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CT.
NOTABLE: Northwestern has defeated Rutgers in all four of their matchups since the Scarlet Knights joined the Big Ten Conference … The Wildcats are undefeated in six Friday competitions this season … Symone Abbott tied her career high with three service aces, also done in the Wildcats' most recent competition against Illinois … Danyelle Williams notched a career-high with a .556 hitting percentage … Alana Walker's .500 hitting percentage was tied for her second-best this season.
With the victory, Northwestern has surpassed their win total from 2016 with more than half of the season left to play.
Chicago's Big Ten Team hit .485 en route to the straight-sets win, posting a clip over .400 for the first time all season and the first time since hitting .416 against Chattanooga on September 2, 2016. That output is the eighth-best in the Big Ten this season and is the fifth-best in NU history.
Senior outside hitter Symone Abbott had arguably her strongest game for the Wildcats this year, posting a .565 hitting percentage — her highest output since posting a career-high .700 clip against Buffalo over a year ago (Aug. 27, 2016). The Northville, Michigan, native also surpassed Liz Douglass (1980-83) on the NU career all-time kills list and currently sits in sole possession of seventh place.
Despite a quick volley back-and-forth for the lead in the early half of the first set, the Wildcats were able to take control. Abbott went errorless in the match opener, accumulating five kills on 11 swings, good for a .455 hitting percentage. The Wildcats combined for five blocks, led by three players with a pair of attack stoppers. As a team, NU hit .379 in the first set.
The Wildcats' offensive output was reinforced in the second set, as NU's squad combined for a .533 clip, recording 10 kills on 15 swings. Abbott's service in the second set was a catalyst for Northwestern's success, as the senior boasted three aces.
Rutgers was only able to amass one dig in the set, contributing to the Wildcats' offensive performance. NU pushed their lead to two sets to none with their 25-13 finish.
NU was efficient in putting away the Scarlet Knights in the third set, making only one error on 24 attacks (.542 hit%). Finishing her strong performance, Abbott posted six kills on 10 attacks with no errors. The Wildcats won 25-12 to finish the three-set sweep.
The Wildcats face-off against No. 3 Penn State on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CT.
NOTABLE: Northwestern has defeated Rutgers in all four of their matchups since the Scarlet Knights joined the Big Ten Conference … The Wildcats are undefeated in six Friday competitions this season … Symone Abbott tied her career high with three service aces, also done in the Wildcats' most recent competition against Illinois … Danyelle Williams notched a career-high with a .556 hitting percentage … Alana Walker's .500 hitting percentage was tied for her second-best this season.
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Team Stats
NU
RU
Kills
38
27
Errors
5
15
Attempts
68
74
Hitting %
.485
.162
Points
55.0
33.0
Assists
34
26
Aces
8
3
Blocks
9.0
3.0
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
13
Aces
3
Blocks
3
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Players Mentioned
OH
/ Women's VolleyballMH
/ Women's VolleyballOPP
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