Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
1-0,1-0Big Ten
Rutgers
0-1,0-1Big Ten
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rutgers | 12 | 18 | 16 | 0 |
| Northwestern | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
'Cats Open Season With Three-Set Sweep
1/22/2021 9:34:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern opened its 2021 season with a decisive three-set sweep over Rutgers on Friday night at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Playing in their first match in 419 days, the Wildcats showed no signs of rust as they totaled an impressive .432 hitting percentage while limiting the Scarlet Knights to just a .127 clip.
Temi Thomas-Ailara led the way for the Wildcats with 12 kills as well as a .524 hitting percentage to go along with five digs. Also finishing in double figures was Alana Walker, who notched 11 kills on a .529 clip along with three blocks.
The Wildcats had a balanced offensive attack throughout the match, with Abryanna Cannon, Danyelle Williams and Desiree Becker all finishing with five kills of their own. Cannon added a match-high 11 digs.
Kiara McNulty was the leading distributor for the Wildcats, notching a double-double with a match-high 31 assists along with 10 digs. Making her Northwestern debut, Megan Miller added three aces from the service line.
The 'Cats cruised to an emphatic 25-12 victory in the first set, finishing with 17 kills to go along with a .625 hitting percentage. NU did not relent after that, notching a 25-18 victory in the second set followed by a 25-16 win in set three to complete the sweep.
Chicago's Big Ten Team is back in action on Saturday, January 23 for their second match of the weekend against the Scarlet Knights. First serve is scheduled for 6 pm CT, with coverage live on BTN+.
