Northwestern
4-5,0-0Big Ten
UIC
4-6,0-0Horizon
'Cats Come Out on Top in Home Opener
9/17/2021 9:36:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern kicked off the Chicago Cup with a win against UIC, 3-1, in their home opener.
Temi Thomas-Ailara and Hanna Lesiak led the attack with 15 and 14 kills respectively. Thomas-Ailara and Leilani Dodson proved to be a lethal combo at the net, leading the team with four blocks apiece. Dodson also posted her best hitting percentage this season at 0.615 with eight kills. Alexa Rousseau managed the Northwestern offensive rotations with poise, registering 44 assists on the evening.
The 'Cats started off the first set strong and managed to stay in front of the Flames early. Two service aces from Ariel Amaya put Northwestern up seven and forced a UIC timeout. Coming out of the break, the Flames started to clean up their act and crept up on the 'Cats. Thomas-Ailara, Lesiak and Desiree Becker each managed to grab two points a piece to put Northwestern back in business, taking the first set 25-20.
Thomas-Ailara put the 'Cats ahead early with a couple of kills and Amaya came in with another long service run to extend the Wildcat lead. The Flames tried to battle back and brought it within one, but errors put Northwestern back on top. Thomas-Ailara settled things with one last kill; with another 25-20 win, the 'Cats were up 2-0.
UIC came to play in the third set and things went back and forth early. Thomas-Ailara managed to hold onto a long service run featuring kills from Lesiak and Dodson, before UIC came back to take a marginal lead and eventually win the set 25-21.
The Wildcats took an early lead in set four and never looked back. Amaya slammed another ace into the Flames' back line to build a five-point Northwestern advantage. Miller finished off the set with a long run from the line before Lesiak and Dodson grabbed back-to-back kills to put the game away 25-16 in the final set.
Northwestern will be back on their home court tomorrow for the continuation of the Chicago Cup. They will face DePaul first at 12 p.m. CT and finish out the weekend with Loyola at 8 p.m. CT.
