Northwestern
5-1,0-0Big Ten
Valparaiso
4-3,0-0MVC
Wildcats Defeat Valparaiso in Home Opener
9/9/2025 10:27:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern volleyball (5-1) rallied from down two sets to earn a reverse sweep (21-25, 23-25, 26-24, 25-23, 15-13) against the Valparaiso Beacons (4-3) on Tuesday at home at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
The Wildcats were led by double-doubles from both Ayah Elnady, who had 12 kills and 11 digs, and Rylen Reid, who had 13 kills and 17 digs. Campbell Paris also added 17 kills to help the attack. On the defensive end, Lauren Dignan chipped in with 20 digs to go with seven blocks from Bella Simkus.
How It Happened
SET 1 | Despite a five-kill first set from Ayah Elnady in her Welsh-Ryan debut, the Wildcats fell 25-21 after a back-and-forth opening frame. Neither team led by more than four points in the set.
SET 2 | A 25-23 second-set loss put Northwestern behind 2-0 in the match. The Wildcats once again battled closely with the Beacons, this time led by Bella Bullington, who notched four kills and a block in the first home match of her collegiate career. The stanza featured seven lead changes and was tied 15 times before eventually going Valparaiso's way.
SET 3 | In the third set, Northwestern fought back to keep the match alive, winning 26-24 to narrow its deficit to a single set. Buse Hazan contributed six kills off the bench, heading a Northwestern offense that collected 17 total kills over the course of the set. Lauren Carter racked up 12 assists to help the attackers along the way.
SET 4 | After starting off in an early 5-0 deficit, Northwestern continued its comeback in the fourth, winning 25-23 to bring the match level at two sets apiece. Another solid showing on the attacking end led the Wildcats to victory in the set, as the team hit .341 with 19 more kills. They also impressed from the service line, using four aces to help seal the win.
SET 5 | Northwestern completed its comeback with a 15-13 fifth-set victory, taking the match 3-2. The Wildcats got a solid defensive performance from a front row that blocked three Valparaiso attacks in the stanza.
Game Notes
» Rylen Reid notched the first double-double of her career with 13 kills and 17 digs. She has now reached double-digit kills in five of the 'Cats' six matches this season, and leads the roster with 73 total kills this year.
» Ayah Elnady also put up a double-double in the win, contributing 12 kills and 11 digs. It was the second double-double of her season and the 28th of her collegiate career.
» Northwestern had three players in double figures in kills and four in double figures in digs.
» Campbell Paris had a team-high 17 kills for Northwestern, her most as a Wildcat and one off her career high, set in 2023 while she was at South Carolina.
» Northwestern got a team-high 20 digs from first-year Lauren Dignan, the first double-digit game of her career.
» Lauren Carter nearly doubled her previous career high with a match-high 43 assists. That's good for the most assists by a Northwestern setter since August 31, 2024, when Alexa Rousseau collected 46 in a loss to Pacific.
» Sienna Noordermeer also reached double-digits with 15 assists, continuing the season-long streak of both Northwestern setters contributing ten or more per match.
Up Next
The 'Cats hit the road again this weekend for a four-match road trip on the East Coast. Northwestern opens the Buffalo Classic in Buffalo, N.Y., against the hosts on Friday, then faces Niagara and Cornell in a doubleheader on Saturday. The trip will then wrap up with a match at Rhode Island on Monday.
