Northwestern
6-7,0-3Big Ten
Michigan State
10-4,2-1Big Ten
Northwestern Falls In Five-Set Heartbreaker To Michigan State, 3-2
9/29/2023 10:32:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Hernandez hammers career-best 15 kills to lead 'Cats
EVANSTON, Ill. (September 29, 2023) - Averie Hernandez enjoyed a career night, finishing with 15 kills to lead a trio of Wildcats in double figures, but Michigan State (10-4, 2-1 B1G) held off a furious late comeback to record a 21-25, 25-20, 27-25, 23-25, 15-13 victory over Northwestern (6-7, 0-3 B1G) this evening inside Welsh-Ryan Arena.
How It Happened
SET 1 | Northwestern came out on the front foot to begin the evening, jumping in front 12-9 on a Drew Wright service ace. A 4-0 Wildcat run that was capped off by a block from Alexa Rousseau and Leilani Dodson pushed the margin to 16-10 before Michigan State looked to rally, pulling within two, 22-20. A Dodson kill reestablished a three-point edge, 23-20, ahead of a tandem block by Julia Sangiacomo and Kennedy Hill that closed a 25-21 victory in set one.
SET 2 | Rousseau and Dodson were back at it again early in set two, joining forces for another denial that staked the 'Cats to an early 4-2 lead. A Rousseau kill on a second ball knotted the score up at 11-11 later on, ahead of back-to-back Dodson spikes that put Northwestern up one, 13-12. Michigan State took control shortly after, rattling off seven unanswered points to build a 23-16 edge. Northwestern refused to go quietly, with an Ellee Stinson service ace capping off a 4-0 spurt that cut the deficit three, 23-20. Michigan State answered with the frame's final two points, evening the match up at one set apiece following a 25-20 win.
SET 3 | Sangiacomo's sixth kill of the night put Northwestern up two, 8-6, in the opening stages of set three. Hill and Hernandez cashed in on consecutive Michigan State overpasses shortly after, with the latter's kill giving the 'Cats a 12-11 edge. The duo teamed up for a block just two points later, stretching the lead to 14-11. Michigan State again had a response, going up 21-19 following a 3-0 run. Another Stinson ace got Northwestern back on level terms, 21-21. Consecutive kills by Hernandez and Sangiacomo gave the Wildcats a crack at set point, 24-23, but Michigan State answered with the next two scores to force a set point of its own, 25-24. A Spartan service error kept the 'Cats alive, 25-25, but Michigan State went on to close out the set, 27-25, on a Grace Kelly service ace.
SET 4 | Hernandez connected on a career-high tying sixth kill coming out of the gate in set four that saw the Wildcats jump on top, 3-0. The sophomore was back in the mix again later on, ending a marathon rally with another kill that stretched the lead to 14-11. Michigan State had visions of closing the night out in four sets when it took a 19-18 lead that prompted a Northwestern timeout, but Stinson again stepped up at the service line, putting the Wildcats back on top, 20-19. After a 3-0 run put Michigan State in striking distance of a victory, 23-21, Hernandez came up with a key kill that sparked a set-ending 4-0 tear, punctuated by a Sangiacomo rocket that put away a 25-23 Northwestern triumph and forced a deciding fifth set.
SET 5 | Northwestern quickly found itself behind the eight ball in the fifth set, falling into an 11-5 hole. With the Michigan State lead sitting at 13-7, kills from Maddy Chinn and Hernandez, respectively, laid the groundwork for a 6-0 Wildcat surge that included a pair of tandem blocks from Chinn and Hill. Hernandez's final kill of the night clawed the Wildcats into a 13-13 tie, but Michigan State had the final say, scoring the night's final two points to escape following a 15-13 victory.
Game Notes
» Hernandez dazzled, hammering a career-high 15 kills to lead a trio of Wildcats in double figures.
» Dodson added 11 kills, her fifth match in double figures.
» Sangiacomo also finished with 11 kills, reaching double figures for the eighth time this season.
» Rousseau posted her third double-double of the year, closing the night with 45 assists and 14 digs, in addition to five kills.
» Hill racked up a career-high nine blocks, while also chipping in seven kills.
» Four Wildcats finished with 10-plus digs, a quartet led by Stinson and Gigi Navarrete, who each put up 16 digs apiece.
» Stinson, who also put up a match-high three service aces, has now posted 15 or more digs in seven matches this season.
Up Next
Northwestern opens up a three-match road swing on Sunday when it visits West Lafayette, Ind. to battle No. 17 Purdue in a 1 p.m. (CT) first serve inside Holloway Gymnasium.
This article created using technology provided by Data Skrive.
