Northwestern
11-14,5-10Big Ten
Nebraska
24-0,15-0Big Ten
Valiant Effort Falls Short For 'Cats At #1 Nebraska, 3-1
11/8/2023 10:08:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Northwestern deals Cornhuskers just sixth set loss at home in 2023
LINCOLN, Neb. (November 8, 2023) - Northwestern (11-14, 5-10 B1G) dealt No. 1 Nebraska (24-0, 15-0 B1G) just its sixth set defeat at home in 2023 as it gave the Cornhuskers all they could handle in a 26-28, 26-24, 11-25, 20-25 defeat this evening inside the Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln, Neb.
How It Happened
SET 1 | Northwestern quickly set the tone for the night, with the second of two Leilani Dodson kills giving the 'Cats a 3-2 lead. Averie Hernandez followed with two kills of her own, putting Northwestern back in front, 8-7. Another Hernandez spike pulled Northwestern level at 16-16 after Nebraska had edged in front and sparked a 5-1 run that vaulted the Wildcats on top, 20-17. Nebraska responded, taking a 24-23 lead on a Merritt Beason kill to set up set point. The 'Cats fought off a pair of set points before having up a set point of their own at 26-25 following a Cornhusker attack error, but the hosts rattled off the final three points of the frame to escape with a 28-26 victory.
SET 2 | After falling into a 10-4 hole in set two, Northwestern battled back. Kennedy Hill rose up out of the middle to connect for a kill that laid the foundation for a 5-0 surge that clawed Northwestern back within one, 13-12, following back-to-back kills from Julia Sangiacomo. Dodson recorded a pair of solo blocks in short order, with her second staking the Wildcats to their first lead of the frame, 16-15. Hill and Hernandez joined up on the block shortly after, extending the gap to 19-16. Nebraska again looked to finish strong as it charged back in front, 23-20. Northwestern refused to go away, with a Maddy Chinn kill sparking a set-ending 6-1 run, capped off by a tandem block from Chinn and Dodson, that closed out a 26-24 Wildcat win.
Block party put an end to it!#GoCats | @B1GVolleyball pic.twitter.com/m4paUvBsFX
— Northwestern Volleyball (@NUVball) November 9, 2023
SET 3 | Nebraska stepped on the gas to begin the third set, racing out to a 4-0 lead. Sangiacomo hammered home to trim the gap to 6-4, but the Wildcats would get no closer the rest of the way, as Nebraska closed the frame on a 13-3 run to win the set, 25-11.
SET 4 | Northwestern came out as the aggressors in a must-have fourth set. A kill out of the back row by Hernandez saw the 'Cats open up a 5-1 advantage. Following another Hernandez spike that made it 8-3, Nebraska took off on a 6-0 run that saw it forge ahead, 9-8. Hill came up big again out of the middle, connecting off the Cornhuskers' block to even the score at 9-9. Nebraska mounted another push, putting up three unanswered points to establish a 16-12 edge. Back-to-back Cornhusker mishits closed the gap to 17-15. Northwestern fought off three match points down the stretch, two of which came off Sangiacomo kills, but a Bekka Allick kill put away any hopes of a fifth set as Nebraska closed out the match with a 25-20 triumph.
Game Notes
» Northwestern's 26-24 victory in set two marked just Nebraska's sixth set loss at home in 2023.
» For the second time in as many outings, Sangiacomo led Northwestern with a match-high 16 kills.
» Sangiacomo has now posted 10-plus kills 16 times this season.
» Hernandez joined Sangiacomo in double figures with 13 kills.
» Hernandez has reached double figures 11 times across Northwestern's last 13 matches.
» Dodson led Northwestern at the net with six blocks to go along with seven kills.
» Hill added four blocks.
» Alexa Rousseau notched her 11th double-double of the year, finishing with 37 assists and 11 digs.
» Ellee Stinson put up a team-best 15 digs.
» Beason and Harper Murray led Nebraska with 13 kills apiece.
Up Next
Northwestern's road trip continues on Sunday, November 12 when it takes on Iowa. First serve from inside the Xtream Arena is scheduled for 2 p.m.
This article created using technology provided by Data Skrive.
