Northwestern Declaws Panthers in Three-Set Sweep

9/8/2017 6:38:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

CHICAGO, Ill. — The Wildcats have won 12-straight sets. And they've won five-straight matches.

Northwestern (6-1) swept Milwaukee (5-3) in the opening contest of the DePaul Invitational on Friday night, 25-16, 25-23, 25-22. The 'Cats are 6-1 for the first time since the 2014 squad opened up their campaign 12-1.

Senior Symone Abbott led the Wildcats with her 17 kills and 42 attempts. Senior Taylor Tashima accumulated a team-leading 39 helpers while first-year Ivey Whalen led with four blocks.

The Wildcats cruised to a set one victory, thanks in part to a .455 hitting percentage from Abbott. She accumulated six kills on 11 attacks with only one error in the match opener and moved up to 10th in career kills in Northwestern history with her fifth kill of the competition. Abbott passed Shelley Brzozowski, who played for the Purple and White from 1986 to 1989.

In the first set, the 'Cats outhit the Panthers, .417 to .192. NU also notched their set victory with a 81.3 sideout percentage.

Northwestern found delayed success in the second set. While the score remained tight throughout the first half of the game, UWM pulled away from the 'Cats with the set winding down, pushing their advantage to 21-17. The #B1GCats rebounded after a late timeout, finishing on an 8-2 run to push their advantage to two sets to none.

The third set played tight, but Northwestern was able to find their groove and take an advantage by the mid-point, with the 'Cats taking a 19-13 advantage. Milwaukee would make a late push, but Northwestern staved off the threat to top the Panthers, 25-22.

The Wildcats will play a double-header against Army (12 p.m.) and DePaul (7:30 p.m.) on Saturday at McGrath-Phillips Arena.

NOTABLE: Northwestern outhit Milwaukee, .238 to .132 … NU has outhit their opponent in all seven competitions this season … Symone Abbott's 16 kills and 41 total attempts were her most in a three-set match this season … First-year Nia Robinson's six digs were a career-high … NU's 105 total attempts were their most in a three-set match this season.