'Cats Begin Home Slate at Chicago Cup

NORTHWESTERN VOLLEYBALL: GAMEDAY INFORMATION
DATE	Opponent	TIME	LOCATION	Streaming	Live Stats
Friday, Sept. 17	UIC	7 pm CT	Evanston, IL	Big Ten Network+	Live Stats
Saturday, Sept. 18	DePaul	12 pm CT	Evanston, IL	Big Ten Network+	Live Stats
Saturday, Sept. 18	Loyola	8 pm CT	Evanston, IL	Big Ten Network+	Live Stats
Social: Twitter: @NUVBall Instagram: @NUVBall

EVANSTON, IL -- Northwestern welcomes the top volleyball programs in the Windy City to Welsh-Ryan Arena this weekend, as the Wildcats host DePaul, Loyola and UIC in the Chicago Cup.

The 'Cats will face UIC in the team's first home match of the 2021 season at 7 p.m. on Friday night, before a Saturday doubleheader against DePaul at noon and Loyola at 8 p.m.

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Last weekend, the Wildcats won a pair of matches at the UniWyo Invite, sweeping Missouri in three sets before taking down hosts Wyoming in a four-set victory in Laramie.

Leading the attack for the Wildcats, Temi Thomas-Ailara picked up where she left off in the shortened 2020 season, as the junior averaged 12.3 kills per set in Wyoming on her way to all-tournament honors. Her 115 kills rank third in the Big Ten.

Hanna Lesiak has provided plenty of firepower alongside Thomas-Ailara, leading the team with 15 kills in the win over Wyoming. The redshirt junior has posted new career-highs in every major statistical category through the beginning of the 2021 season.

Defensively, the Wildcats have leaned on the middle blocker duo of Desiree Becker and Leilani Dodson. Becker earned all-tournament team honors in Wyoming, averaging 5.6 blocks and 8.6 kills at the UniWyo Invite.

Dodson has also impressed for the Wildcats, as the BYU transfer is among the team leaders in both blocks and kills in 2021.

At libero, Megan Miller is back after making her Northwestern debut in the shortened 2020 season. Her 19-dig performance helped the Wildcats stay in system against Wyoming, a match in which she also dished out six assists. The senior averaged 17 digs per set in three matches at the Springhill Suites Invitational earlier this season.

2021 marks the return of the Chicago Cup after non-conference matches were not played in 2020. The Wildcats are 5-1 in the Chicago Cup since the first edition of the tournament in 2018.

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Players Mentioned

Desiree Becker

Leilani Dodson

Hanna Lesiak

Megan Miller

Temi Thomas-Ailara

Northwestern University Athletics

Northwestern University Athletics