Oct. 16, 2001
CHICAGO, Ill. - The Wildcat volleyball team went "on the road" for a 3-1 (30-15, 30-22, 29-31, 30-26) victory over Loyola-Chicago tonight, traveling six miles to the neighboring campus.
Northwestern (8-7, 4-4 Big Ten) snapped ULC's (11-6, 7-0 Horizon League) nine-match win streak in the makeup game which had originally been scheduled for Sept. 11.
The action of the game was at the net, as sophomore middle blocker Erika Lange (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg) had 14 total blocks. Lange tied the school record for total blocks in a match that she had set last season against Michigan (10/13/00).
Lange also led NU with 15 kills, recording her first double-double of the season.
As a team, the Wildcats had 21 blocks. This should add to their blocking lead among Big Ten Conference teams.
Junior outside hitter Kelli Meyer (Madison, Wis./Edgewood) followed her triple-double performance against Purdue with a double-double, nailing 12 kills and 14 digs. Meyer posted a .458 hitting percentage.
The 'Cats looked sharp in the first two games, leading Game One 20-8 at one time. Sophomore outside hitter Molly Kamp (Stevensville, Mich./Lakeshore) served up four of her five aces in that game, and junior Cassie McKnight (San Marcos, Calif./San Marcos) added two.
But in Game Three the Ramblers channeled their nervous energy into defense and started forcing Northwestern errors. The score was knotted throughout the game before kills by Lauren Holbrook and Shari Davis allowed ULC to edge out of a 28-28 tie for the win. Jenelle Hart led the Ramblers with a match-high 17 kills.
ULC took that momentum into Game Four, and had the lead until a solo block by Kamp tied the game at 23. The Wildcats went on a 7-3 run to end the game, including three kills by freshman outside hitter Jill Buschur (New Bremen, Ohio/New Bremen). Buschur would end the match with 12 kills.
"They are a very good team, and they are going to make a run at it when they get behind," NU head coach Keylor Chan said of Loyola-Chicago after the match.
"It was our blocking that kept us in it. We also passed very well tonight. But we showed our youth."
Northwestern is next in action this Friday as they travel to Iowa and resume Big Ten Conference play. Match time is set for 7 p.m.