The ‘Cats have a fun two game home stand coming up.
It’s never easy in the Big Ten.
Especially not when NU had to go on the road to face No. 15 Minnesota on Wednesday and Indiana on Sunday. The ‘Cats dropped both matches in straight sets, dropping to 4-14 this season and 2-8 in conference play.
Against the Golden Gophers, Buse Hazan made her return to her usual workload, pacing the ‘Cats with 14 kills on .464 efficiency, while Drew Wright’s 12 digs and Alexa Rousseau’s 14 assists led the ‘Cats.
For Minnesota, Julia Hanson’s 19 kills led all players, while Kate Thibault and Zeynep Palabiyik both tallied 11 digs. Melani Shaffmaster, one of the conference’s premier setters, sparked Minnesota’s offense with 35 assists.
Northwestern fell behind from the start. In set one, Northwestern trailed early, losing by as many as 13 points in Minnesota’s 25-18 victory. However, a silver lining was middle blocker Kennedy Hill, tallying her 200th career block in the first frame.
In set two, Northwestern battled. The set was tied 10 times before Minnesota used a four point run to open a 16-12 advantage. The Golden Gophers won nine of the next 16 points, taking set two 25-19.
In set three, Minnesota won the first point and never slowed down, rolling the ‘Cats out of Maturi Pavilion with a 25-17 match-clinching set three victory.
Against the Hoosiers on Sunday, Northwestern’s luck didn’t get any better, and that one ended in an Indiana sweep.
Hazan led Northwestern’s offense again, finishing with 12 kills. Defensively, Sophia Summers, Hill, Kathryn Randorf and Rylen Reid all had three-plus blocks. On offense, Wright led Northwestern with 10 digs, her third consecutive match in double figures, while Rousseau collected 29 assists, her most since NU’s second match of the season against Pacific.
The Hoosiers attack dominated thanks to a combined 29 kills from Candela Alonso-Corcelles and Avry Tatum. Libero Ramsey Gary led all players with 13 digs, while Camryn Haworth collected an impressive 39 assists.
Set one was close throughout. With nine ties, and neither team getting out to a lead of more than four points, Northwestern couldn’t find a way to get over the hump with the set tied 22-22. Indiana used a three point run to take the first set 25-22.
In set two, Northwestern hung around, never trailing by more than four points. But after Indiana took a 12-11 lead thanks to a Reid service error, the Hoosiers didn’t let the ‘Cats back in it, taking the second set 25-21.
In the third set, Indiana opened up a 16-11 advantage after a hot start. Although the ‘Cats clawed back to within four thanks to a three point run at the end, Indiana inevitably closed things out with a 25-20 victory.
Northwestern will return home for two matches, facing intrastate rival Illinois on Friday and No. 2 Nebraska on Sunday.