'Cats Home to Host Buckeyes on Thursday Night

Thursday, October 10

Evanston, Ill.

7 p.m. CT

Northwestern

Ohio State

Tickets

September 28, 2024, Evanston, IL: A game between Northwestern Volleyball and No. 7 Wisconsin at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, IL on Saturday, September 28, 2024. (Photo by Henry Frieman/Northwestern Athletics)

Photo by: Henry Frieman/Northwestern Athletics

'Cats Home to Host Buckeyes on Thursday Night

10/9/2024 4:37:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

EVANSTON, Ill. - The 'Cats return to Welsh-Ryan Arena on Thursday evening to host the Ohio State Buckeyes as they continue Big Ten play. Northwestern (3-9, 1-3 B1G) looks to get back on track against a 7-7 (0-4 B1G) Ohio State squad. First serve in Thursday's match is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT and action can be streamed on B1G+.

STORYLINES:

Sophia Summers led the defense on Sunday at Illinois with a career-high nine blocks against the Illini. That figure ties Kennedy Hill's performance at Maryland for the most single-game blocks by a Wildcat this year. After tying her career high with seven blocks against both Purdue and Maryland, Summers has racked up 23 blocks in four matches of Big Ten action so far.
Alexa Rousseau stands just 34 career assists shy of moving to fifth all-time in Northwestern program history. The graduate student played in her 400th career set on Sunday and recorded six kills, 23 assists and nine digs - good for her 100th double-digit assist game at Northwestern.
Junior Kennedy Hill enters play Thursday ranked 13th in the Big Ten in blocks per set, averaging 1.19 so far in 2024. Her 57 blocks across the 'Cats' first 12 matches lead the team.

THE MATCH-UP:

The 'Cats are 24-58 all-time against Ohio State, dating back to their inaugural meeting in 1977. The Buckeyes enter play on Thursday on a four-match win streak against Northwestern, dating back to 2021. The 'Cats' last victory over Ohio State came in November of 2019 - a sweep in Columbus - and their last home win against the Buckeyes came in straight sets on Oct. 28, 2018.

Ohio State dropped to 0-4 in Big Ten play on Sunday, when they fell in four sets to Indiana on the road. The Buckeyes have faced a tough conference slate to open, with their other three losses coming at the hands of No. 20 USC (3-2, Sept. 27), UCLA (3-1, Sept. 29) and No. 11 Oregon (3-0, Oct. 3).

UP NEXT:

Next up for Northwestern is a road rematch with the No. 9 Wisconsin Badgers on Sunday in Madison. First serve from the UW Field House is set for 1 p.m. CT.