Nov. 20, 2009

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Northwestern vs. Wisconsin Box Score

2009 Northwestern Volleyball Statistics

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Juniors Naomi Johnson (Bloomington, Minn./Kennedy) and Sabel Moffett (Temecula, Calif./Chapparal) combined for 23 kills and 14 blocks as Northwestern defeated Wisconsin 25-23, 25-22, 20-25, 25-21 at Welsh-Ryan Arena. The victory gives the Wildcats their first victory over the Badgers since 2003, snapping an 11-match skid, and moves Northwestern (15-14, 6-11 Big Ten) into a sixth-place tie with Wisconsin in the Big Ten standings.

Johnson paced the Wildcats up at the nets all night, recording 13 kills and a career-best eight blocks, including some key rejections down the stretch to seal the Northwestern victory. Moffett added 10 kills and six blocks, as with her four block assists she moves into eighth-place all-time in Wildcat history with 269 on her career. Moffett also registered two solo blocks, pushing her into ninth-place in program history with 58 for her career.

Redshirt freshman Kathryn Chrystal (Crystal Lake, Ill./Central) also played a key role in the Wildcat victory, recording seven kills and adding seven blocks for Northwestern. Senior Ariel Baxterbeck (Menlo Park, Calif./Castilleja) added six kills, three blocks and eight digs for the 'Cats, with junior Brittani Gray (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore) adding five kills.

Junior Elyse Glab (Chicago, Ill./Resurrection) just missed notching her eighth double-double of the season, finishing with 38 assists and nine digs. Senior Kate Nobilio (Johnsburg, Ill./Johnsburg) turned away 23 Badger attacks, upping her season total to 469 digs.

Set one set the tempo for the evening, as both teams were even from the start. Neither team was able to take control, as after 17 ties and nine lead changes, both the Wildcats and Badgers found themselves knotted at 21. Wisconsin (11-15, 6-11 Big Ten) recorded two straight points and looked poised to take the opening set victory, but Northwestern rallied, tallying the set's final four points to take the 25-23 decision.

Set two played out similarly to the first until the Badgers began to pull away, building a six-point cushion at 20-14. But the Wildcats would rally again, using an 11-2 run to steal set two from Wisconsin 25-22. Four kills from both Johnson and Moffett and five blocks each from Johnson and Chrystal turned the tide, giving the 'Cats the convincing 2-0 lead.

Wisconsin again took control in set three, leading Northwestern by as many as seven at 19-12. But once again the Wildcats would claw their way back, pulling to within a point at 20-19. But this time the Badgers were able to hold off the Wildcat rally, taking set three 25-20.

A fast Wisconsin start in set four was once again answered with a Northwestern rally, as after the Badgers built an 8-3 lead early, the Wildcats would respond to tie the set at 15. The two would then battle down the stretch, but then with the set knotted at 19, Northwestern took control for the final time, outscoring Wisconsin 6-2 down the stretch to take set four and seal the victory.

Wisconsin's Brittney Dolgner and Allison Wack each recorded 16 kills in defeat, with Alexis Mitchell and Mary Ording each recording five blocks and Kim Kuzma digging a match-high 30 balls.

Northwestern returns to the floor at Welsh-Ryan Arena Saturday night, hosting Iowa at 7 p.m. The match against the Hawkeyes will mark Senior Night as the Wildcats will honor Nobilio and Baxterbeck prior.

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