Northwestern
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San Diego
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Resilient Wildcats Upend No. 13 San Diego, 3-1
8/27/2023 10:01:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Sangiacomo totals match-high 21 kills to lead Northwestern
HONOLULU, Hawai'i (August 27, 2023) - Northwestern closed its time at the 2023 Hawaiian Airlines Rainbow Wahine Classic with a top-15 victory, downing No. 13 San Diego (0-3) by a 25-17, 22-25, 25-13, 25-20 final this afternoon inside SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, Hawai'i.
Today's victory sees the 'Cats close the opening weekend of the regular season at 1-2 overall.
How It Happened
SET 1 | After falling into an early 4-1 hole, Northwestern battled back, with a Kathryn Randorf kill punctuating a 4-0 run that put the 'Cats on top, 5-4. Ellie Husemann rose up out of the middle to push the gap to 11-6 and prompt a San Diego timeout. The Toreros would never get closer than four for the remainder of the set, as Northwestern hit .375 on its way to a 25-17 victory.
SET 2 | San Diego started fast in the second set, racing in front, 9-5. Northwestern answered back, as a Julia Sangiacomo kill evened the frame at 12-12. Leilani Dodson's solo block capped off an 8-0 Wildcat spurt that saw Northwestern open up a 15-12 advantage. With the lead sitting at 22-20, the Toreros caught fire, scoring the final five points of the frame to pick up a 25-22 win and even the match at one set apiece.
SET 3 | Northwestern ambushed San Diego from the onset in a dominant third-set showing. Maddy Chinn finished off an overpass to give the 'Cats a 6-3 edge before another Dodson denial stretched the gap to 8-3. Chinn found herself back in the mix again as the set wore on, teaming up with Kennedy Hill on a tandem block that saw the lead balloon to 14-5. Northwestern cruised to the finish line from there, coasting to a 25-13 triumph.
SET 4 | The Wildcats looked to put away any dreams of a fifth set early, with a 5-0 surge capped off by a Sangiacomo spike putting Northwestern up, 9-5. Alexa Rousseau made the most of her chance at the net, finding space on a dump kill to extend the margin to 14-9. San Diego refused to go away without a fight, trimming a seven-point hole down to two, 19-17, late in the set. Randorf brought an end to the drought for Northwestern, hammering home to reestablish a three-point lead, 20-17. Following a Sangiacomo kill that put the 'Cats on the brink, a Toreros attack error sealed a 25-20 victory that clinched the match, 3-1.
Game Notes
» Sangiacomo was dominant, putting up a match-high 21 kills.
» Chinn and Randorf added nine kills apiece.
» Rousseau dished out 36 assists to go along with seven kills, while Dodson chipped in seven kills of her own in addition to a team-best six blocks.
» Ellee Stinson excelled at the service line, tallying three aces.
» Nemo Beach and Leyla Blackwell paced San Diego, each finishing with nine kills.
Up Next
Northwestern raises the curtain on its 2023 home schedule on Friday, September 1 when it entertains Illinois State inside Welsh-Ryan Arena at 5 p.m. The Wildcats will close Labor Day weekend by making the short trip north to battle Milwaukee at 6 p.m. on Monday, September 4.
This article created using technology provided by Data Skrive.
