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Northwestern 3, Green Bay 0 Welsh-Ryan Arena Evanston, Ill. Box Score | Box Score 
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EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern successfully wrapped up the nonconference portion of its 2014 campaign Sunday by posting a convincing three-set victory (25-12, 25-14, 25-18) over the Green Bay Phoenix to close out the Wildcat Challenge at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
The Wildcats concluded the first chapter of their schedule with a record of 10-1 overall. It is only the third time in 15 seasons under head coach Keylor Chan that NU has recorded 10 victories or more before beginning conference play. The 'Cats also won 10 matches in 2010 and 11 in 2012.
"We accomplished a lot of special things during the first part of our journey," remarked Chan after the match. "Of course we have areas we want to improve in, but we faced a lot of talented teams and we stood toe-to-toe with every single one of them. We overcame some different adversity and we put ourselves in a good position as we turn toward Big Ten play next weekend."
Sunday's clash against the Phoenix was never truly in doubt as far as the home team would be concerned. The 'Cats opened up the match by scoring six of the day's first seven points, including a pair of service aces, prompting Green Bay to burn a timeout. Northwestern did not let up as it soon increased the lead to 13-5. Later, with sophomore Candice Yager serving and the home team ahead 19-11, NU rattled off a 7-1 run to close the frame and post a 25-12 triumph. Yewande Akanbi had two of her eight kills during the surge before Savannah Paffen finished the Phoenix off with one of her season-high five kills.
NU set the tone early by hitting .367 in the first set, but it would do even better in the second stanza. The Wildcats attacked at a clip of .455 (12 kills, 2 errors, 22 attempts) and held Green Bay to a mark of -.154 in the second. Northwestern also accumulated five of its eight blocks during the second set, led by Katie Dutchman who had three.
The purple and white were dictating the tempo from the onset once again in set two. The score was tied a 4-4 very early on when, with Yager serving once again, NU posted nine unanswered points to go ahead 13-4. Yager had two aces during that particular run, while Akanbi and Dutchman also had two kills apiece. Northwestern would go on to comfortably claim the set, 25-14, as it held a 2-0 advantage at the intermission.
The decisive set proved to be the tightest of the three. Following an attacking error by the Wildcats, the Phoenix had chiseled the deficit down to only three points at 20-17. Dutchman responded with back-to-back terminations that ballooned the lead back up to five points, 22-17. Fittingly it was soon Dutchman, a redshirt senior, who stuffed Taylor Kasal's effort when the home team had match point to put an exclamation mark on the victory.
Freshman Symone Abbott led Northwestern with a match-high 11 kills Sunday, while Akanbi and Dutchman each posted eight. Dutchman hit .583 on the afternoon, marking the fifth time this season that she has attacked at a rate of .500 or better. She entered play Sunday ranked fourth in the Big Ten in hitting percentage.
Monica McGreal led the Wildcats with 10 digs, while Caleigh Ryan handed out a match-best 33 assists. In two matches during the Wildcat Challenge, the sophomore averaged 11.75 assists per set.
The Wildcats have wrapped up their nonconference slate and now they turn their attention toward Big Ten play, which opens on Friday, Sept. 26 at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Northwestern holds the distinction of being the first squad to welcome Rutgers into the conference at 7 p.m. that night. NU will also entertain the league's second newcomer, Maryland, at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 27. The 'Cats have never faced the Scarlet Knights nor the Terrapins.
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