'Cats Head Home to Host No. 7 Badgers

EVANSTON, Ill. - The 'Cats are back in Evanston to begin the home side of their Big Ten schedule on Saturday evening against No. 7 Wisconsin. Just two days after beating Maryland in their conference opener, Northwestern (3-6, 1-0 B1G) will face off with the Badgers (6-4, 0-1 B1G) at 7 p.m. in Welsh-Ryan Arena.

STORYLINES:

For the third time in her career and the first since 2022, Alexa Rousseau logged a triple-double on Wednesday. The graduate student posted 25 assists, 17 kills and 15 digs in the victory over Maryland. It was the third game the 'Cats have played this season to see Rousseau lead the team in kills - a feat which she had never achieved prior to this season - and the 17 she racked up set a career high. Rousseau has continued to impress as a setter as well, logging six double-doubles and a team-leading 239 assists through Northwestern's first four matches. Entering play Saturday, she stands just 81 career assists away from moving into fifth all-time in the program record book.
The 'Cats totaled 17 blocks over five sets on Wednesday, their most rejections as a team so far this season. Northwestern got contributions from all sides in the victory, with five players either setting or matching a season high in that category. Buse Hazan set a career mark with five blocks, while Lily Wagner's four rejections and Sophia Summers' seven both tied career highs. Rousseau added a season-high three blocks to her triple-double, and Kennedy Hill racked up nine for a season high as well.
The 'Cats went an even 5-5 last season in Big Ten play at Welsh-Ryan Arena, part of a 7-6 record overall at home. Northwestern tallied two ranked wins last season, but both were away from home - over No. 13 San Diego in Honolulu, Hawaii, and over No. 17 Purdue on the road. The program's last victory over a team ranked in the AVCA Top-10 came on Sept. 28, 2022, when they beat No. 7 Minnesota in five sets.

THE MATCH-UP:

The 'Cats are 29-60 all-time against Wisconsin, dating back to their first meeting in 1978. The Badgers have won each of the last 13 against the Wildcats, with Northwestern's last victory in the series coming in 2012 in Madison. Wiconsin has been ranked in the AVCA top-10 for nine of those 13 wins. Tonight's match is the first of two against the Badgers this season for the 'Cats; they'll make the return trip to Madison on Oct. 13.

Wisconsin moved up to No. 7 in the latest AVCA/Teraflex Coaches Poll at the beginning of this week after going 3-0 and dropping just one set total last week against Marquette, Troy and Texas A&M. Earlier this week, however, the Badgers fell 3-2 to 18th-ranked Minnesota in Minneapolis. Wisconsin now enters play on Saturday at 6-4 (1-0 B1G), with all four of their losses coming at the hands of ranked teams.

UP NEXT:

Saturday's match is the first of two in a row at home for the 'Cats. They'll continue their conference schedule next Friday, when they host Purdue at Welsh-Ryan Arena. That match is set to begin at 7 p.m. CT.

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Players Mentioned

Buse Hazan

Kennedy Hill

Alexa Rousseau

Sophia Summers

Lily Wagner

Northwestern University Athletics