Nov. 11, 2006
MINNEAPOLIS -- One night after taking No. 10 Wisconsin to the brink on the road, Northwestern fell in a three-game sweep to red-hot No. 13 Minnesota Saturday at the Sports Pavilion, 30-24, 30-11, 30-17.
With the loss, Northwestern falls to 13-12 on the year, 7-9 in the Big Ten. Minnesota improves to 19-7 overall, 13-3 in the conference.
Northwestern held a slim lead for much of the first game as the teams traded points, until a 5-0 Minnesota run gave the hosts a 16-13 lead and forced an NU timeout. The Wildcats quickly earned the next three points, knotting the score, 16-16, on a kill by Brittney Aldridge (Hampshire, Ill./Hampshire).
Again the teams went back and forth, with the 'Cats taking a two-point lead, 23-21, before a 4-0 Gopher spurt put NU in a 25-23 hole and caused head coach Keylor Chan to use his second timeout. This time the Minnesota momentum was too much to contain, and UM went on to win game one, 30-24.
Northwestern lost game two, 30-11. Minnesota had an NCAA Division I-record 19-0 run in the game.
Minnesota started out hot again in game three, eventually taking a 17-7 advantage to force NU's second timeout of the game. The Wildcats just could not find the answer to the Gophers on this night, falling in game three, 30-17.
Lindsay Anderson (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier) had a team-high 16 digs.
Northwestern returns to action next weekend for its final two home matches of the year, beginning at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 17, against Purdue.