#B1GCats Make Home Debut at Wildcat Challenge

NORTHWESTERN VOLLEYBALL: MATCH INFORMATION
DATE	OPPONENT	TIME	LOCATION	BROADCAST	LIVE STATS
Friday, Sept. 18	Lipscomb	7 p.m.	Welsh-Ryan Arena (Evanston, Ill.)	Studio N Live	Sidearm
Sunday, Sept. 20	Milwaukee	1 p.m.	Welsh-Ryan Arena (Evanston, Ill.)	Studio N Live	Sidearm
Social: Twitter (@NUVBall and @NU_SportsLive) \| Instagram (NUVBall) \| Facebook Wildcats Weekly Release

EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern volleyball will make its long-awaited home debut this weekend after three straight weekends on the road. The Wildcats (6-3) host Lipscomb Friday night at 7 p.m. and Milwaukee Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. inside Welsh-Ryan Arena.

Studio N Live will stream both matches on NUsports.com.

The first 100 fans at each match will receive a free Northwestern Volleyball t-shirt, and all fans are encouraged to pick up their free 2015 schedule poster and to hang around after each match for autographs from the Northwestern student-athletes.

The Wildcats are looking to cap off a competitive non-conference slate with a pair of home wins before embarking on a four-match road swing to open Big Ten play.

Northwestern has been especially good at home in recent seasons. Chicago's Big Ten Team was 10-3 a year ago in Evanston and went 11-5 at Welsh-Ryan Arena in 2013. The Wildcats play 12 matches at home in 2015 with 10 of those coming against Big Ten opponents.

Only two of Northwestern's nine matches so far this season have gone longer than three sets. The Wildcats are 4-3 in matches that involve a sweep and have won both that required extra games. The win over Missouri State the last time out was the first five-set match of 2015.

Two Wildcats rank among the best in the Big Ten and the NCAA in their respective statistical categories. Caroline Niedospial is tops in the conference with 5.42 digs per set, good for 15th nationally, and has already amassed 160 through nine matches. Taylor Tashima ranks third in the Big Ten with 11.29 assists per set, which puts her 18th among national peers.

For the third weekend in a row, the Wildcats will meet a team they have never faced before in program history. Friday's night match between Northwestern and Lipscomb will be the first time the programs have squared off.

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#B1GCats Make Home Debut at Wildcat Challenge

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Players Mentioned

Caroline Niedospial

Taylor Tashima

Northwestern University Athletics