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EVANSTON, Ill. -
Northwestern fell to host Loyola (Ill.) Friday night in its first match of the Chicago Challenge weekend tournament, 3-0.
"Loyola did a great job," head coach Keylor Chan said. "They came out and executed very well and really played like they wanted to win."
Loyola (Ill.) took the first two games by scores of 30-22 and 30-24, but the 'Cats looked as if they would make a comeback with the way the third game started.
After a brief intermission, NU came back onto the court with noticeably more energy and got a spark from true freshman Courtnie Paulus when she blistered a kill shot off the chest of receiving Rambler, Ellen Hayes, for the third game's first point.
Hayes had the wind knocked out of her, while the point breathed new life into the `Cats.
"Courtnie had a really nice night," Chan said. "She played with a lot of heart, really kept her composure and had some great intensity out there.
With Paulus and Julie Purcell pacing the `Cats with a team-leading seven kills, NU jumped out to a 14-9 lead in game three and looked to be in the groove. But Loyold (Ill.) answered with a rally of their own to tie the game back up at 16.
A sensational play by senior co-captain Drew Robertson gave NU the lead late in the game. Robertson laid out for a "no-way-she-got-there-in-time" dig, which was immediately killed down the sideline by Stephanie Jurivich. Robertson scraped herself off the floor, dusted her uniform and gave a double-fist pump to fire up the `Cats. But again, Loyola (Ill.) answered by tying the game at 28 before scoring the final two points to secure the match.
With their second win in a row, the Ramblers improve to 2-3 for first year coach Tim O'Brien, while the `Cats fall to 2-2 on the season.
NU returns to action Saturday, Sept. 11, with a match against DePaul at noon. Later Saturday at 5 p.m., NU will play its final match of the weekend against Illinois-Chicago.
"Playing against teams in your same city, everbody is hungry to win these games," Chan said. "We need to come out tomorrow and play up to the level that we know we can."