Source: NUsports.com
Posted: Friday, October 30, 2009 10:55:00 PM EST
Published: Friday, October 30, 2009 10:56:03 PM EST
Posted: Friday, October 30, 2009 10:55:00 PM EST
Published: Friday, October 30, 2009 10:56:03 PM EST
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Junior Sabel Moffett (Temecula, Calif./Chapparal) knocked down 16 kills with senior Ariel Baxterbeck (Menlo Park, Calif./Castilleja) and sophomore Alexandra Ayers (Playa del Rey, Calif./Marymount) each knocking down 13 as Northwestern took a dramatic 25-23, 25-22, 17-25, 23-25, 16-14 win over Purdue at Holloway Gymnasium.
The victory gives the Wildcats the season sweep over the Boilermakers for the first time since 2004, which also marks the last time Northwestern won in West Lafayette. Northwestern also notches its first Big Ten road victory of the year, improving to 12-11 overall and 3-8 in conference play, while Purdue drops to 11-11 and 3-8 in the Big Ten.
The California trio provided the spark for the Wildcats all night, with Moffett adding five blocks against Purdue. Ayers had a career-best 18 digs on the night, second only to senior Kate Nobilio's (Johnsburg, Ill./Johnsburg) 19, with Baxterbeck adding 12 digs defensively for the 'Cats.
Junior Naomi Johnson (Bloomington, Minn./Kennedy) continued her solid play at the net for Northwestern, blocking a team-best six attempts to go along with her three kills. Redshirt freshman Kathryn Chrystal (Crystal Lake, Ill./Central) added four kills and three blocks, with junior Elyse Glab (Chicago, Ill./Resurrection) dishing out 42 assists to compliment her four blocks and three kills.
After taking the first two sets, Northwestern found itself trailing Purdue 8-7 at the turn in set five. The teams would trade points before a Boilermaker service error and a kill from Moffett gave NU a 13-11 lead. Purdue would rally, tying the set at 13 and again at 14, but a kill from Baxterbeck and a Boiler attack error sealed the victory for the 'Cats.
Northwestern, which defeated Purdue in five sets at Welsh-Ryan Arena back on Oct. 10, came out energized early on. The Wildcats pounced to an early four point lead at 10-6, but Purdue rallied to tie the match on seven different occasions, including 22-22 late. But it was NU that took three of the last four points to take set one 25-23, with a kill from Moffett sealing it.
Set two continued right where set one left off, as both teams battled back and forth for points. Northwestern would build a five-point lead at 18-13, only to see Purdue close the gap to one a handful of times. But the Boilers were never able to reclaim the lead as the 'Cats once again used a late run to seal the victory, taking set two 25-22.
Purdue would start the comeback in set three, building a six-point cushion on Northwestern at 16-10. The Boilermakers avoided the sweep by holding off the Wildcats for the remainder of the set, taking the third 25-17.
That momentum would carry into the early portion of the fourth set, as Purdue looked to be easily in control holding a 20-13 lead. But the Wildcats weren't going down without a fight, using a 9-3 run to pull to within a point at 23-22, and then again at 24-23. Unfortunately the rally came up just short as Purdue took the 25-23 decision to force the decisive fifth set.
Carrie Gurnell led the Boilermakers with a match-high 17 kills while Ariel Turner had 13 kills and four blocks and Jaclyn Hart finished with 55 assists and five blocks in defeat.
The victory gives the Wildcats the season sweep over the Boilermakers for the first time since 2004, which also marks the last time Northwestern won in West Lafayette. Northwestern also notches its first Big Ten road victory of the year, improving to 12-11 overall and 3-8 in conference play, while Purdue drops to 11-11 and 3-8 in the Big Ten.
The California trio provided the spark for the Wildcats all night, with Moffett adding five blocks against Purdue. Ayers had a career-best 18 digs on the night, second only to senior Kate Nobilio's (Johnsburg, Ill./Johnsburg) 19, with Baxterbeck adding 12 digs defensively for the 'Cats.
Junior Naomi Johnson (Bloomington, Minn./Kennedy) continued her solid play at the net for Northwestern, blocking a team-best six attempts to go along with her three kills. Redshirt freshman Kathryn Chrystal (Crystal Lake, Ill./Central) added four kills and three blocks, with junior Elyse Glab (Chicago, Ill./Resurrection) dishing out 42 assists to compliment her four blocks and three kills.
After taking the first two sets, Northwestern found itself trailing Purdue 8-7 at the turn in set five. The teams would trade points before a Boilermaker service error and a kill from Moffett gave NU a 13-11 lead. Purdue would rally, tying the set at 13 and again at 14, but a kill from Baxterbeck and a Boiler attack error sealed the victory for the 'Cats.
Northwestern, which defeated Purdue in five sets at Welsh-Ryan Arena back on Oct. 10, came out energized early on. The Wildcats pounced to an early four point lead at 10-6, but Purdue rallied to tie the match on seven different occasions, including 22-22 late. But it was NU that took three of the last four points to take set one 25-23, with a kill from Moffett sealing it.
Set two continued right where set one left off, as both teams battled back and forth for points. Northwestern would build a five-point lead at 18-13, only to see Purdue close the gap to one a handful of times. But the Boilers were never able to reclaim the lead as the 'Cats once again used a late run to seal the victory, taking set two 25-22.
Purdue would start the comeback in set three, building a six-point cushion on Northwestern at 16-10. The Boilermakers avoided the sweep by holding off the Wildcats for the remainder of the set, taking the third 25-17.
That momentum would carry into the early portion of the fourth set, as Purdue looked to be easily in control holding a 20-13 lead. But the Wildcats weren't going down without a fight, using a 9-3 run to pull to within a point at 23-22, and then again at 24-23. Unfortunately the rally came up just short as Purdue took the 25-23 decision to force the decisive fifth set.
Carrie Gurnell led the Boilermakers with a match-high 17 kills while Ariel Turner had 13 kills and four blocks and Jaclyn Hart finished with 55 assists and five blocks in defeat.
