NU drops to 2-10 in conference play.
Despite a two game homestand on Friday and Sunday, Northwestern couldn’t snap its three-match losing skid, dropping matches to Illinois and No. 2 Nebraska.
Against the Fighting Illini on Friday night, Rylen Reid led the way with 10 kills for Northwestern — her second time in double figures this season. Alexa Rousseau’s 17 assists and 13 digs also paced the ‘Cats, while Kennedy Hill led Northwestern up front with five blocks. Rousseau also had nine kills, finishing just one kill short of her second triple-double of the season.
For Illinois, Raina Terry feasted with 15 kills and 10 digs. Christina Martinez Mundo led all players with 16 digs, while Brooke Mosher orchestrated Illinois’ offense with 31 assists. Ex-Wildcat Averie Hernandez racked up just five kills and seven digs in her return to Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Northwestern started hot out of the gates against the Fighting Illini. At the service line, the ‘Cats compiled five aces, while their balanced offensive attack — fueled by three kills from Buse Hazan and two apiece from Reid and Rousseau — powered Northwestern to a 25-22 first set victory.
In set two, Illinois found its rhythm, grabbing the lead at 7-6 and never looking back. In a stanza where Northwestern trailed by as many as 10 points, Illinois pulled away for a 25-17 set two victory. Set three wasn’t much prettier for Northwestern. After Illinois grabbed the first point thanks to a kill from Laynie Smith, the Fighting Illini never saw a deficit, including winning eight of the last nine points to close out the third set with a 25-13 win.
In set four, Northwestern led 11-10 early, but a four point run by the Fighting Illini sparked a shift in momentum back toward Illinois. The Fighting Illini never lost the lead, taking set four 25-19, while sweeping the two match season series against Northwestern.
On Sunday against No. 2 Nebraska, Northwestern enjoyed its first sellout in program history, welcoming 6,003 fans into Welsh-Ryan Arena. But the Cornhuskers were as advertised, sweeping the ‘Cats in straight sets.
For Northwestern, Hazan led the way with eight kills, while Rousseau led the squad in assists, tallying 17 assists for the second match in a row. Defensively, Drew Wright posted 12 digs, while Hill and Kathryn Randorf each had two blocks.
For the ‘Huskers, Merritt Beason’s nine kills on .643 efficiency and Andi Jackson’s eight kills on 11 swings scorched Northwestern’s defense. Bergen Reilly’s 25 assists and nine digs also led the ‘Huskers.
In set one, Northwestern responded to losing seven of the match’s first nine points, cutting Nebraska’s lead to three at 15-12. But Nebraska’s efficient .306 hitting percentage in the first frame proved to be too much as the ‘Huskers powered past Northwestern 25-18.
In set two, Northwestern struggled, trailing by as many as 10 points in a 25-15 set two loss. Nebraska followed it up with another 25-15 victory in set three to close out the match.
Northwestern will be back in action on Friday against a No. 3 Penn State squad that’s on a 14 match win streak.
It truly never gets any easier in Big Ten play.