Nov. 1, 2006
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Junior Lindsay Anderson (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier) led Northwestern with 21 kills Wednesday night against Illinois, becoming the 17th member of the NU 1,000-kill club in a 3-1 win over the Illini, 30-25, 25-30, 30-26, 30-27.
Anderson now has 1,008 kills for her career and is the first Wildcat to reach a grand since Erika Lange (2000-03) notched the 1,000th kill of her career as a junior in 2002. Anderson has averaged 12.2 kills per match to this point in her career, and is on pace to finish in the top-5 all-time at Northwestern.
With the win, the Wildcats improve to 12-10 overall on the season, 6-7 in the Big Ten. NU splits the season series with Illinois after falling in a sweep at Welsh-Ryan Arena on Sept. 27. With the loss, the Illini fall to 13-10 on the season, 4-9 in the conference.
Illinois began the match on a 6-1 run, but Northwestern answered with a 6-1 spurt of its own to tie the score, 7-7. The Wildcats continued with the momentum, eventually opening a four-point lead, 15-11, to force an Illini timeout. Junior Courtnie Paulus (Belgium, Wis./Ozaukee) had four kills during the run for the 'Cats.
Illinois prevented Northwestern from pulling away, but the Wildcats kept their lead throughout. The Illini used their second timeout of the game with the lead still at four, 23-19, then NU made the lead six, 27-21, on the strength of a trio of kills by Anderson. A Paulus kill ended the first game, 30-25, to give the 'Cats a 1-0 lead in the match.
Northwestern as a team hit a blistering .444 (19-3-36) in the first game. Anderson finished game one with seven kills.
Illinois came out in game two and exploded to a quick 5-0 lead to cause a timeout from Northwestern head coach Keylor Chan. The Wildcats fought back to within two, forcing an Illini timeout after a block by Paulus and reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week Chelsy Hyser (Belvidere, Ill./Belvidere) made the score 13-11.
Illinois pushed back out to a four-point lead, 16-12, but Northwestern tied the match with a 4-0 run featuring kills by Hyser and Anderson, an Ariel Baxterbeck (Menlo Park, Calif./Castilleja) ace and a block by Brittney Aldridge (Hampshire, Ill./Hampshire) and Anderson.
Again the Illini created a four-point advantage, 26-22, and this time the Wildcats could not close the gap, falling in game two, 30-25.
Northwestern was the team to come out like a house on fire in the third, grabbing an early 8-1 lead to cause an Illinois timeout. Hyser had a pair of kills, Stephanie Jurivich (LaGrange, Ill./St. Ignatius) helped combine on a pair of blocks, Paulus had a pair of aces and Anderson notched career kills No. 997 and 998 during the start.
Anderson later pounded home No. 999 to give NU a 9-2 lead. Two points later, in typical Anderson fashion, the junior unleashed a rocket on an overpass to give the Wildcats a 10-3 lead and give herself the 1,000th kill of her career.
Illinois climbed back into the game with a 7-1 run to make the NU lead three, 15-12, and Chan used his first timeout. The Illini just kept coming, eventually tying the score, 17-17. The teams exchanged three ties, but NU never allowed Illinois to take the lead. After kills by Paulus and senior Cassie McLaughlin (Cary, Ill./Cary Grove) gave the Wildcats a 23-20 lead, the Illini used their second timeout.
From there, Northwestern kept Illinois at arms length to win game three, 30-26, and take a 2-1 lead in the match.
Trailing 4-2 early in game four, the Wildcats used a 6-0 run to take an 8-4 lead and force an early Illini timeout. Anderson, Julie Purcell (Louisville, Ky./Assumption) and Aldridge all had kills during the spurt, complimenting a pair of blocks by Aldridge and Purcell.
Illinois roared back to take a brief lead, 11-10, but Northwestern answered to build itself back out to a six-point advantage, 20-14, forcing the Illini to use their second timeout. The Wildcats withstood a late Illini rally to take game four, 30-27, and the match, 3-1.
Adding to Anderson's 21 kills, Paulus added 13 kills for the 'Cats. Aldridge had a match-best nine blocks, while freshman Kate Nobilio (Johnsburg, Ill./Johnsburg) contributed a team-best 17 digs. Jurivich finished with 46 assists for NU.
Northwestern returns to action at 7 p.m. CT Saturday, Nov. 4, at Iowa.