Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
17-15,7-13Big Ten
Illinois
13-16,8-12Big Ten
Three 'Cats Record Double-Doubles as Northwestern Defeats Illinois
11/28/2025 9:56:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Northwestern volleyball closed out its 2025 season with an exclamation point on Friday evening, defeating the Illinois Fighting Illini in four sets (25-22, 18-25, 25-21, 25-23) at Huff Hall. The victory marked the Wildcats' first win over Illinois on the road since 2008.
Northwestern finished 2025 with a 17-15 overall record and 7-13 mark in Big Ten play. Illinois ended their season at 13-16, including an 8-12 record in conference play.
The Wildcats were led by double-doubles from Ayah Elnady, Lauren Carter and Sienna Noordermeer - the first time all season that three Northwestern players recorded double-doubles in the same match. Elnady registered 20 kills and 12 digs on the day, while Carter chipped in with 14 digs and a team-high 29 assists. Noordermeer recorded her second straight double-double and her third of the season with 12 assists and 10 digs. Rylen Reid also contributed 16 kills to help the offense.
How It Happened
SET 1 | Elnady got the Wildcats started from first whistle with a kill to open set one. The teams battled point-for-point from there, with neither side leading by more than one early on. Eventually, an Illinois error gave Northwestern just a little breathing room, 7-5, and the 'Cats didn't look back. Though the Illini hung with Northwestern, they never managed to tie the set up again, and the 'Cats took a one-set lead with a 25-22 victory. Elnady led the offensive charge with six kills in the first set.
SET 2 | To open set two, Carter gave the Wildcats an early boost with back-to-back-to-back service aces, putting Northwestern on top, 3-0. Three quick kills helped Illinois on a 6-0 run from there, but Reid and Campbell Paris each put down a pair of kills to give Northwestern the lead back, 8-7. That wouldn't last long, as Illinois once again used a scoring run, this time 5-0, to grab the lead back. This time, the Illini held on, stretching their lead to as many as nine points before the 'Cats narrowed the gap again late. Still, Illinois locked up a 25-18 victory in set two to even the match up at one apiece.
SET 3 | Illinois took the first point of set three, but that would be the Illini's only lead of of the frame as the 'Cats bounced back with a 25-21 victory in set three to regain the lead. Though they couldn't come all the way back, the Illini gave the 'Cats a fight, tying the set up at 11-11 and then 20-20. As the Illini threatened, Elnady closed the door. The graduate student ran off two kills and a service ace in the last five points to secure the set win. Elnady and Paris led the offense in the frame, combining for 10 of the 'Cats' 11 kills in the third set.
SET 4 | The teams battled through the early points of set four before a series of Northwestern kills and Illinois errors forced the Illini into a timeout with the 'Cats up four, 10-6. Illinois did not back down from there; the teams drew even again at 13-all, then again at 19-19. The match stayed tight through the end as the Illini looked to force a fifth set, but the 'Cats held fast. Elnady used her 19th kill of the evening to bring up match point, 24-23, and then secured the victory for Northwestern with kill number 20, closing out a 25-23 set-four victory and a 3-1 win for the 'Cats in the season finale.
Game Notes
» Lauren Carter had a match-high three aces in the win, giving her 49 total in 2025. That's the most by a Wildcat in the rally-scoring era and the most overall by a Northwestern player since 1993.
» Kayla Kauffman's three blocks against the Illini brought her 2025 season total to 98, which ties for the most by a Northwestern first-year in program history.
» Carter led the team in both assists (29) and digs (14) en route to her seventh double-double of the season. Her 14 digs were a career high.
» Ayah Elnady registered her eighth double-double of the season with 20 kills and 12 digs. It was her second 20+ kill match as a Wildcat.
» Elnady's pair of aces tonight gave her 44 for the year, which is a single-season career high.
» Rylen Reid collected her 16 kills on .429 hitting, her second-best hitting percentage of the season.
» Northwestern had three players in double figures in kills (Elnady, Reid and Paris) and four players in double figures in digs (Carter, Drew Wright, Elnady and Noordermeer).
» In his second season at the helm, head coach Tim Nollan more than tripled the 'Cats' win total from 2024, including over twice as many Big Ten victories.
