'Cats Head Downstate to Fight the Illini

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Northwestern volleyball is back on the road this weekend to face in-state rival Illinois on Sunday afternoon. After falling to a pair of ranked opponents at home, the 'Cats look to draw even in conference action in their fourth Big Ten matchup of the season.. First serve between the 'Cats (3-8, 1-2 B1G) and the Illini (8-5, 0-3 B1G) is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT on B1G+.

STORYLINES:

Junior Kennedy Hill entered the weekend ranked tenth in the Big Ten in blocks per set, averaging 1.25 so far in 2024. Her 54 blocks across the 'Cats' first 11 matches lead the team, and she's the only Wildcat to record more than seven blocks in a single match so far this season.
Alexa Rousseau stands just 57 career assists shy of moving to fifth all-time in Northwestern program history. She recorded a team-high 25 last Wednesday as part of a triple-double against Maryland, making her one of five players in the Big Ten to record a triple-double this season, but one of only two to do so in a conference match.
Lauren Carter's 18 assists in last week's victory over Maryland were a single-game career high, and with 17 more in Friday's match against Purdue, she has now reached double-digit assists in four straight games. That run has given Carter 72 assists this season - already topping her previous career high of 48 in 2022, when she was at Denver. Carter outpaced Rousseau last Saturday against the Badgers and matched her on Friday, making her the only player other than Rousseau to lead the team in assists in a match this year.

THE MATCH-UP:

Northwestern enters Sunday's match 32-64 all-time against the Illini. They split the season series with Illinois in 2023, closing out their year with a win in straight sets over Illinois at home after falling earlier in the season when the teams met downstate. In Champaign, Illinois has dominated; Northwestern's last road win over the Illini came on Oct. 17, 2008 - a five-set victory.

Illinois has dropped each of their first three Big Ten matches of the season, falling to No. 11 Oregon and Washington on the road before dropping their home conference opener to No. 1 Nebraska on Thursday. While the Illini have yet to win a set in Big Ten play, they fared well in non-conference action, winning eight of ten matches to start the season.

UP NEXT:

Next on the 'Cats' schedule is Ohio State, who will visit Welsh-Ryan Arena next Thursday, Oct. 10. First serve in Evanston is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT.

'Cats Head Downstate to Fight the Illini

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Players Mentioned

Lauren Carter

Kennedy Hill

Alexa Rousseau

Northwestern University Athletics