Northwestern
9-10,3-6Big Ten
Nebraska
18-0,9-0Big Ten
Northwestern Battles, Falls To No. 2 Nebraska, 3-0
10/18/2023 10:22:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Hernandez leads Wildcats with 11 kills
EVANSTON, Ill. (October 18, 2023) - Averie Hernandez reached double figures in kills for the sixth time in seven matches, but No. 2 Nebraska (18-0, 9-0 B1G) hit .395 (45-11-86) as it handed Northwestern a 25-15, 25-16, 25-21 defeat this evening inside Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Tonight's setback sees the Wildcats slip to 9-10 overall (3-6 B1G).
How It Happened
SET 1 | Kennedy Hill looked to provide an early spark, denying Nebraska's initial attack of the night to put the 'Cats on the board first, 1-0. The visitors responded with the frame's next six points, racing in front, 6-1. Northwestern looked to hang tough, rattling off four straight points, a run that was capped off by a Hill kill off a Cornhusker overpass that trimmed the gap to 14-10. Nebraska countered with the next three points, reestablishing a seven-point lead, 17-10, on the way to closing out a 25-15 victory.
SET 2 | After Nebraska raced out to a 4-0 lead in set two, kills from Hill and Leilani Dodson, respectively, closed the gap to 4-2. Rylen Reid provided a spark off the bench, hammering home to again pull Northwestern within two, 8-6. The Cornhuskers used a 4-1 push to open up a 17-10 edge before the 'Cats ripped off three unanswered points, a push capped off by another Reid spike that made it 17-13. That proved to be as close as Northwestern would get the rest of the way, as Nebraska won set two, 25-16.
SET 3 | Dodson and Kathryn Randorf joined forces on a block early on in set three to cut Nebraska's lead to 3-2. A Dodson service ace put the Wildcats back on level terms, 5-5. Following a 3-0 spurt that staked the Cornhuskers to a 15-11 edge, Northwestern responded back with the frame's next four points, a run capped off by a Nebraska attack error that tied the score at 15-15. The 'Cats continued to hang tough, clawing within one down the stretch, 22-21, on a tandem block by Dodson and Hernandez. Nebraska put together the final push, notching the night's final three points to hold off Northwestern, 25-21, in set three.
Game Notes
» Hernandez led the Northwestern attack with 11 kills, operating at a .258 (11-3-31) clip from the floor.
» Dodson put up a team-best four blocks, in addition to five kills.
» Alexa Rousseau fueled the Wildcats with 21 assists.
» Merritt Beason (13) and Harper Murray (10) both reached double figures in kills for Nebraska.
Up Next
Northwestern remains at home this weekend when it hosts Michigan in a 7 p.m. first serve on Saturday, October 21.
This article created using technology provided by Data Skrive.
