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Big Ten Conference
Zora Hardison celebrates a point against Minnesota at Jersey Mike's Arena
Ariel Fox
3
Winner Rutgers RU 6-23,1-17 Big Ten
1
Northwestern NU 5-21,3-15 Big Ten
Winner
Rutgers RU
6-23,1-17 Big Ten
3
Final
1
Northwestern NU
5-21,3-15 Big Ten
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Rutgers RU 23 25 25 25 (3)
Northwestern NU 25 17 23 23 (1)

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball |

Volleyball Tops Northwestern In Four In B1G Road Finale

EVANSTON, Ill. – Rutgers volleyball closed out Big Ten road play with a 3-1 victory over Northwestern on Saturday night at Welsh-Ryan Arena.

After the Wildcats took the first set 25-23, the Scarlet Knights took three straight sets, 25-17, 25-23 and 25-23. RU never trailed in the second and fourth frames.

 

Rutgers volleyball Northwestern victory graphic
 
STANDOUT STATS
  • Rutgers accumulated a season-high 16 blocks with sophomore Zora Hardison tying her career-high with eight stops, redshirt junior Alissa Kinkela tying her season-high with seven and freshman Natalie Robinson also contributing seven.
  • Robinson's seven blocks moved her into a tie for second on the rally-era season list with 118 blocks this season. The freshman needs three more to become the all-time rally-era season leader in just her first season as a Scarlet Knight.
  • Hardison not only led RU in blocks, but also led RU in kills as one of three Scarlet Knights to hit over .400 on the night. Hardison put away 12 kills swinging at a .435 clip, while junior Lexi Visintine also reached double-digit kills and was one shy of tying her career mark with 10. Freshman Avery Jesewitz was without an attack error all night with nine kills on 16 swings to hit .562 as was classmate Robinson, who posted seven kills on 16 swings to hit .438.
  • Kinkela, who added nine kills in the win, moved into the all-time top 10 with her nine kills to up her career total to 965. Additionally, she is now 18 kills away from becoming the rally-era leader.
  • The Scarlet Knights also racked up nine aces, the most by the squad in Big Ten play this season. Visintine had four to move into third on the rally-era season leaders list with 35 to date. Freshman Alleigh Dutton also punched in two from the service line. Classmate Lily Bolen also moved into the rally-era season top 10 with her ace.
  • Bolen also came up with 26 helpers with junior Aly Borellis adding 17.
  • Sophomore Kenzie Dyrstad led RU from the back row with 12 digs with Dutton shy of double figures with nine.
KEY MOMENTS
  • SET1 (24-25) | Rutgers scored six of eight to climb out to an 8-6 lead thanks to a team effort. Kills from Alissa Kinkela, Anna Hartman, Avery Jesewitz, Aly Borellis and an ace from Alleigh Dutton contributed to the Scarlet Knight edge. Northwestern countered with five straight and seven of the next eight to in front at 13-9. After a Scarlet Knight timeout with the hosts up 15-11, RU found momentum again with a 5-1 run to knot the score at 16-16. During the burst, Natalie Robinson collected a pair of blocks. With the frame even at 17-17, the Wildcats pushed back ahead with a 23-20 lead. Once again, out of a timeout, Rutgers powered back and managed to close to within one. A swing from Avery Jesewitz saw RU trail 24-23, but the Wildcats came up with the next point to take the opener. Zora Hardison led RU with three kills and Robinson came up with three blocks.
  • SET 2 (25-16) | RU never trailed in tying up the match. After opening with an 11-4 lead, both squads traded points leading to a Northwestern timeout with RU ahead 17-10. While the Wildcats collected three straight after chatting, the Scarlet Knights maintained controls by closing the frame outscoring the hosts, 8-4.
  • SET 3 (25-23) |  Four straight points gave the Scarlet Knights an early 5-3 advantage and lead they would not give up.  Rutgers held as much as a three-point edge but Northwestern would manage to tie up the set at 17-17. RU, however, would not give up the lead as a kill by Hardison and back-to-back blocks from the hands of Hardison, Kinkela and Vistine kept the Scarlet Knights in front with a 21-18 lead. A Kinkela kill saw RU ahead 23-20 when the Wildcats captured three straight to tie up the frame for the fifth time at 23 all. Robinson and Jesewitz, however, came through with attacks to put the Scarlet Knights up 2-1.
  • SET 4 (25-23) | Rutgers got its B1G win by leading the final frame from start to finish. Lily Bolen served into the rally-era season top 10 in aces aiding her squad to a 12-5 lead. Robinson, meanwhile, posted her seventh kill on her 14th swing of the night, prompting the Wildcats to call time with RU up 16-9. Hardison pushed RU ahead 20-11 with a kill, however, Northwestern did not go quietly. The Wildcats produced a 12-4 run as the Scarlet Knights held on to a 24-23 lead. The defense came up with match point as Anna Hartman and Robinson teamed up at the right pin to give Rutgers the victory.
     


UP NEXT
  • Rutgers volleyball will wrap up the 2024 season hosting No. 4 Penn State on Wednesday, Nov. 27 at Jersey Mike's Arena at 7 p.m. and Maryland on Friday, Nov. 29 at 5 p.m. at the College Ave Gym. Admission to all Rutgers home games is free.
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