Oct. 3, 2009
Northwestern at Michigan State Box Score 
2009 Northwestern Volleyball Statistics
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Northwestern struck first against 23rd-ranked Michigan State, but the Spartans rallied to take the next three sets, defeating the Wildcats 25-16, 24-26, 19-25, 17-25 at Jenison Field House. Junior Sabel Moffett (Temecula, Calif./Chapparal) had 12 kills and four blocks for Northwestern, with junior Brittani Gray (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore) adding a season-best 11 kills.
Redshirt freshman Kathryn Chrystal (Crystal Lake, Ill./Central) notched a career-best nine kills on the night to go along with four blocks, with senior Ariel Baxterbeck (Menlo Park, Calif./Castilleja) adding six kills and four blocks on the night for the Wildcats. Sophomore Alexandra Ayers (Playa del Rey, Calif./Marymount) was one of three 'Cats to record double-digit digs, finishing with 11.
A pair of career milestones were reached on the evening for Northwestern. Senior Kate Nobilio (Johnsburg, Ill./Johnsburg) recorded 18 digs, giving her 1,905 for her career and making her just the ninth player in Big Ten Conference history to record 1,900 digs in a career. She now needs just 16 digs to surpass Wisconsin's Susan Wohlford (1988-91) for eighth all-time in conference history.
Junior setter Elyse Glab (Chicago, Ill./Resurrection) dished out 40 assists on the night, bringing her career total to 2,875 and moving past Andrea Proos (1985-87) into fourth-place all-time in program history. Glab recorded a double-double on the night, also notching 14 digs for the 'Cats to go along with six kills.
Despite the tough three-set loss to sixth-ranked Michigan Friday evening, Northwestern (9-7, 0-4 Big Ten) came out the aggressor, pouncing out to a 16-8 lead midway through the opening set. The 'Cats would keep Michigan State (14-2, 2-2 Big Ten) at bay, taking the 25-16 victory.
Gray led the Wildcat attack with four kills, with Baxterbeck adding three and Moffett, Johnson and Chrystal each adding a pair. Moffett would add a pair of blocks defensively with Glab dishing out 11 assists.
Michigan State took control early in set two, building a 14-8 edge on NU. But behind a pair of big kills from both Gray and Moffett, the 'Cats responded with an 11-3 run to take the lead at 19-17. NU would lead by a pair again at 22-20, but a 6-2 run by the Spartans gave MSU the 26-24 victory, tying the match at one.
Moffett again came up big for Northwestern, recording five kills and a pair of blocks, complimented by a pair each from Chrystal, Glab and Gray. Baxterbeck had a set-high three blocks to go along with her one kill, with Glab recording 10 assists and Nobilio digging eight Michigan State attacks.
The Spartans carried that momentum into set three, using an 8-3 run to build a seven-point cushion at 18-11. The Wildcats were able to cut that deficit to three at 22-19, but that is as close as NU could manage, falling 25-19.
Gray knocked down five kills for the Wildcats, giving her her first double-digit kill total of the season, with Moffett adding three. Glab had 12 assists in set three while Nobilio had three digs, giving her the career milestone.
Michigan State looked to close out the match in set four, using an 8-1 run to give the Spartans a 17-10 lead. MSU would extend the lead to nine at 20-11 before holding off a late Wildcat rally, taking the match with a 25-17.
Megan Schatzle had a match-high 20 kills for the Spartans, with Jenilee Rathje (13) and Becca Zlabis (10) both notching double-digit totals. Natalie Emro had 50 assists with Allyson Karaba tying Nobilio for the match high in digs with 18.
Prior to the beginning of the match, Northwestern got an unexpected surprise as the women's soccer team came into Jenison Field House chanting "Go U! NU!" The soccer team plays at Michigan Sunday afternoon.
The Wildcats return home to Welsh-Ryan Arena for three of their next four matches, beginning with a showdown with Purdue at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10. Northwestern then welcomes Indiana to Evanston for a rare Sunday afternoon match on Oct. 11, beginning at 5 p.m.