Sept. 5, 2008
2008 Northwestern Volleyball Statistics 
DAYTON, Ohio -- Junior libero Kate Nobilio (Johnsburg, Ill./Johnsburg) set a Northwestern single-match record with 38 digs, but it wasn't enough as Northwestern fell to host Dayton 3-2 (29-27, 23-25, 18-25, 25-23, 13-15) in its opening game of the Flyer Tournament. The Wildcats drop to 1-2 on the season.
In front of an intense crowd, Dayton came out firing in the first set, jumping out to a 13-6 advantage. But NU would use a 10-1 run to take the lead at 18-16, then held off a late Flyer surge to take the first set 29-27. Sophomore Brittany Gray (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore) led the Wildcats with five kills, while sophomore Naomi Johnson (Bloomington, Minn./Kennedy) added four of her own. Nobilio recorded 12 digs while sophomore Elyse Glab (Chicago, Ill./Resurrection) added a dozen assists of her own.
Dayton again came out fast in set two, taking an early 11-6 lead. The `Cats were able to narrow the gap late at 24-23, but that is as close as they could get as the Flyers took the set 25-23 to tie the match at one. Seniors Chelsy Hyser (Belvidere, Ill./Belvidere) and Kelly Keporos (Downers Grove, Ill./North) led the way recording three kills a piece while Gray and Glab each added a pair.
Set three belonged to Dayton from the outset as the Flyers jumped out to an 8-2 advantage and never looked back. NU was able to pull within five at 15-10, but Dayton kept the `Cats at bay, taking the set 25-18. Gray and Hyser each notched five kills while Nobilio had 10 digs and Glab added 11 assists.
The fourth set proved to be the most competitive of the night as neither team was able to build a substantial lead. But the Wildcats were able to distance themselves just enough to take the set 25-23 and tie the match at two sets apiece. Gray continued to pace the `Cats with four more kills as did freshman Alexandra Ayers (Playa del Rey, Calif./Marymount) while Nobilio recorded nine more digs.
Dayton would jump out to an 8-3 lead in the final set before Northwestern came roaring back, tying the set at 11. But the Wildcats couldn't get over the hump, dropping the final set 15-13.
Nobilio's 38 digs breaks the previous record of 37 set by Christie Gardner in 2005. Gray made the most of her trip back to Ohio, leading Northwestern with 17 kills and adding 12 digs while Hyser notched 13 kills of her own. Keporos set a new career-high in digs with 13 while Glab had 48 assists for the `Cats. Sophomore Sabel Moffett (Temecula, Calif.) led NU in blocks with six, including two solos, while adding eight kills of her own.
Northwestern closes out the Flyer Tournament with back-to-back matches on Saturday, Sept. 6, at the Frericks Center on the campus of Dayton University. The Wildcats face Cleveland State at 12 p.m. before finishing with Towson at 4 p.m. NU is 2-0 all-time against the Vikings and 3-0 against the Tigers.