Northwestern
5-3,0-0Big Ten
Fairfield
3-4,0-0MAAC
Northwestern Closes Out Perfect Weekend, Sweeps Fairfield, 3-0
9/10/2023 1:36:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Sangiacomo pounds match-high 14 kills to lead 'Cats
FAIRFIELD, Conn. (September 10, 2023) - Northwestern extended its win streak to three matches as it completed a perfect East Coast road swing in which it did not drop a set with a 25-15, 25-15, 25-13 victory over host Fairfield (3-4) this afternoon inside Leo D. Mahoney Arena in Fairfield, Conn.
Today's result sees the 'Cats, who have won four of their last five matches, improve to 5-3 overall entering the final week of non-conference play.
That's how you finish a weekend! Northwestern caps off its East Coast swing with a third straight ??! #GoCats | @B1GVolleyball pic.twitter.com/PIIRzytGyn
— Northwestern Volleyball (@NUVball) September 10, 2023
How It Happened
SET 1 | Julia Sangiacomo looked to flex her muscle early on, racking up four kills in the opening stages of the first set, the last of which put Northwestern on level terms, 7-7. After seeing Fairfield edge in front, 11-9, a Kathryn Randorf kill sparked a 6-1 Wildcat run that vaulted the visitors on top, 15-12, following another Sangiacomo spike. Two kills apiece from Randorf and Kennedy Hill highlighted a 7-0 surge shortly after as Northwestern cruised to a 25-15 victory in the day's opening frame.
SET 2 | Northwestern didn't waste any time taking control in set two, with a Randorf service ace staking the Wildcats to a 4-1 lead. Alexa Rousseau tacked on back-to-back aces that stretched the margin to 9-4 and forced a Fairfield timeout. Randorf and Hill took over on the defensive side as the set wore on, teaming up to deny consecutive Fairfield attacks to push the gap to eight, 14-6. The Stags never threatened the rest of the way, with an Ellee Stinson service ace punctuating another 25-15 win.
SET 3 | The 'Cats wasted no time in extinguishing any Fairfield hopes for a fourth set, using a 4-0 run that was bookended by kills from Maddy Chinn and Sangiacomo to seize a 9-3 advantage. Northwestern ripped off five unanswered points later in the set, a push that included a block from Randorf and Leilani Dodson, to make it 18-9. Another block from the pairing of Hill and Rylen Reid capped off a 25-13 win that put the match away.
Game Notes
» For the third time in as many outings, Northwestern turned in an efficient outing, hitting .411 (43-4-95).
» Less than 24 hours removed from committing just five attack errors, Northwestern was guilty of only four mishits on the day, a total that is tied for the fewest in a match in program history, matching a mark set against UIC back on August 28, 2010.
» Bolstered by eight kills in the first set, Sangiacomo led Northwestern with 14 kills on the afternoon, hitting .571 (14-2-21).
» Hill and Randorf each put up eight kills and four blocks.
» Rousseau impressed at the service line, tallying a match-high four aces to go along with 32 assists.
» Stinson finished with a match-high 19 digs.
» Allie Elliott put up a team-best six kills for Fairfield.
Up Next
Northwestern opens up a season-long five-match homestand next week. The 'Cats will entertain local rival UIC at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, September 13 before hosting Yale on Friday, September 15 in a 6 p.m. first serve.
This article created using technology provided by Data Skrive.
