Oct. 8, 2008
NU Volleyball Weekly Release - Oct. 7 
Opening Serve
Northwestern finishes out its three-match home stand by hosting 21st-ranked Wisconsin Wednesday, Oct. 8, at 7 p.m. The match against the Badgers will be televised live on the Big Ten Network. NU then heads to East Lansing, Mich., to face Michigan State Friday, Oct. 10, at 5:30 p.m.
`Cats Make Big Ten Network Season Debut
Northwestern's showdown with 21st-ranked Wisconsin will be more than just a crucial rivalry showdown. It marks the season debut for the Wildcats on the Big Ten Network, as the match against the Badgers will be aired live. It is the only home match NU will have on the network, as its road games at Wisconsin on Oct. 29 and at Ohio State on Nov. 8 will also be televised live.
Scouting Wisconsin
21st-ranked Wisconsin makes the trip down to Evanston with a 12-4 record and are 2-2 in the Big Ten after earning a pair of conference victories over the weekend. The Badgers took a tough five-game set over 22nd-ranked Michigan on Friday, then swept Ohio State 3-0 Sunday in Madison. Wisconsin ranks among the Big Ten leaders in a handful of categories, including third in hitting percentage (.255), fourth in kills (13.80) and fifth in opponent hitting percentage (.164). The Badgers have three players who have eclipsed the 100-kill mark, led by junior Brittany Dolgner's 184. Senior Audra Jeffers has recorded 144 kills while junior Katherine Dykstra has added 139 for the Badgers. Jeffers also leads the team in blocks with 67, followed by freshman Elle Ohlander's 43 and Dykstra's 42. Wisconsin has relied on a pair of setters, with sophomore Nikki Klingsporn averaging 6.20 per set and freshman Janelle Gabrielsen averaging 5.65, while defensively sophomore libero Kim Kuzma averages four digs per set. Pete Waite is in his 10th season at the helm of the Badgers, posting a 240-71 (.772) record in Madison and is 506-173 (.745) in his 21st season as a head coach.
Scouting Michigan State
Michigan State enters the weekend at 10-5 on the year and are 2-2 in Big Ten play after a pair of road losses to Indiana and Penn State this past weekend. The Spartans have emerged as one of the top offensive teams in the conference, ranking third in kills (14.22) and assists (13.00) per set, and are fifth in hitting percentage at .241. Sophomore Jenilee Rathje leads the Michigan State attack with 173 kills on the year, with junior Vanessa King (165) and freshman Becca Zlabis (125) also recording triple-digit kill totals. King continues to be a threat at the net as she leads the team in blocks with 69, complimented by freshman Natalie Emro's 37. Emro has stepped up big for the Spartans in her first season, as she ranks fourth in the Big Ten in assists per set (10.58) as well. Defensively, sophomore libero Allyson Karaba is averaging 4.22 digs per set and leads the team in service aces at 16. Head coach Cathy George is in her third season at Michigan State and holds a 62-49 (.579) record since arriving in East Lansing. Overall, she is in her 21st season of coaching, boasting a career record of 427-273 (.610).
Series Information
Wisconsin holds the 41-25 advantage in the all-time series against the Wildcats, and has won the last eight meetings between the two schools. The Badgers swept the season series last year, defeating the Wildcats 3-1 in Evanston before taking an extremely competitive 3-2 victory in Madison. Wisconsin has also won the last four meetings at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Northwestern holds a 30-24 advantage in the all-time series against Michigan State, as the two teams split the season series last year. The Spartans took a 3-1 victory in East Lansing, followed by a 3-1 Wildcat victory at Welsh-Ryan. Michigan State has had the `Cats number at Jenison Field House, winning 14 of the last 15 meetings.
Nobilio Continues to Move Up the All-Time Digs List
Junior Kate Nobilio continues to establish herself among the all-time greats, as she becomes just the fourth player in Wildcat history to eclipse the 1,400-kill mark. She currently sits fourth on the Northwestern digs list, nine behind third-place Jennifer Jostes and 30 back of second-place Janine Makar. Nobilio continues to set her sights on all-time dig leader Christie Gardner, as she is just 258 digs away from becoming the `Cats all-time dig queen.
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