Junior Julie Chin collected a career-high four service aces in three sets last tme out against Iowa.Junior Julie Chin collected a career-high four service aces in three sets last tme out against Iowa.

'Cats Begin Second Half of Big Ten Slate This Weekend

Oct. 25, 2011

Northwestern (11-10, 2-8 Big Ten) vs. No. 15 Minnesota (12-7, 5-5 Big Ten)
Friday, Oct. 28
Welsh-Ryan Arena (8,117)
Evanston, Ill. • 7 p.m.
Streaming Video: BTDN on Wildcats All-Access
Gametracker: NUsports.com
In-game Twitter updates: @NU_SportsLIVE

Northwestern (11-10, 2-8 Big Ten) vs. Wisconsin (13-9, 5-5 Big Ten)
Saturday, Oct. 29
Welsh-Ryan Arena (8,117)
Evanston, Ill. • 7 p.m.
Streaming Video: BTDN on Wildcats All-Access
Gametracker: NUsports.com
In-game Twitter updates: @NU_SportsLIVE

Northwestern Match Notes (PDF)

EVANSTON, Ill. -- After claiming its first Big Ten victory away from home over the weekend at Iowa, Northwestern returns to Welsh-Ryan Arena on Friday night to host a pair of matches this weekend against No. 15 Minnesota and Wisconsin as the second half of Big Ten play begins.

Scouting the Golden Gophers
2011: 12-7, 5-5 Big Ten; ranked No. 15 in this week's AVCA top-25 coaches poll
Last Week: W at Wisconsin (3-2); L at No. 12 Purdue (1-3).
Interim Head Coach: Laura Bush (Illinois, 1992). First season at Minnesota (12-7; .632) and 10th overall (112-174; .392).
Fast Fact: Minnesota hired Hugh McCutcheon, head coach of the U.S. women's national team, as head coach to replace Dave Herbert who retired in December. McCutcheon will fully assume the position with the Gophers on Sept. 1, 2012 upon the closing of the London Olympic Games.

Scouting the Badgers
2011: 13-9, 5-5 Big Ten
Last Week: L vs. No. 14 Minnesota (2-3); W at Indiana (3-1)
Head Coach: Pete Waite (Ball State, 1981). 13th season at Wisconsin (285-124; .697) and 23rd season overall (551-226; .709).
Fast Fact: Seventeen different players have seen match action this season for the Badgers, however only three players - Annemarie Dickey, Courtney Thomas and Janelle Gabrielsen - have played in all 78 sets for Wisconsin.

Dutchman Does It Again For the second time in a seven-day span, Katie Dutchman was named the Big Ten's Co-Defensive Player and Co-Freshman of the Week after totaling 15 blocks in two matches against then-No. 1 Illinois and Iowa last weekend. The Californian accumulated nine total blocks against the Illini to lead all players in the match. Against the Hawkeyes, Dutchman accounted for six total blocks, including a solo effort to secure match point for the `Cats.

Over the past four matches, which span the time of her four awards, Dutchman has tallied 33 total blocks at an average of 2.20 per set for Northwestern. She currently leads the Big Ten in blocking volume this season with 106 total and ranks second with an average of 1.41 per set. In Big Ten matches only, Dutchman leads the conference with 58 total blocks and an average of 1.53 per set.

Let's Make This Quick Of Northwestern's 11 wins this season, 10 have come in a minimum of three sets. The 'Cats' lone four-set win this season came on Sept. 16 in their first match of the Wildcat Classic against Duquesne.

Climbing The Charts Northwestern made some significant jumps in several key statistical categories, particularly of the defensive variety, when the latest numbers were crunched. The Wildcats entered play last week ranked third in the Big Ten in digs at an average of 15.29 per set. After posting an average 19.33 digs per set last week against Illinois and Iowa, NU now leads the conference with 15.76 digs per set.

The 'Cats made an even larger leap in the blocking category. Last week, Northwestern ranked seventh as a team with 2.53 blocks per set. In the last two matches, NU accumulated 24.5 blocks (4.1 per set) to shoot all the way up to third in the Big Ten behind Purdue and Nebraska.

Individually, Julie Chin and Katie Dutchman climbed the leaderboard in each of the categories. Chin moved from fourth to second in digs after averaging 6.33 per set over the two matches, while Dutchman moved from third to second in blocks with another pair of outstanding efforts.

For more match notes and information, please click the PDF above.

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