The final home game of the Northwestern volleyball season is usually a farewell to the seniors. But this year, it’s just another match as the Wildcats take on Iowa and Minnesota with no seniors on the roster heading into the end of the 2001 season.
The Cats (8-15, 4-12 Big Ten) are not concerned about winning for sentimental reasons — they just want any kind of win to break their eight-game losing streak. The midseason slump has dashed any NU hopes of qualifying for the NCAA tournament.
“It’s weird,” sophomore captain Molly Kamp said of the absence of a senior farewell game. “But we want to win just as much as if there were seniors. We want to finish hard.”
NU takes on Minnesota (17-9, 9-7 Big Ten) on Friday in Welsh-Ryan Arena. The Golden Gophers are on a hot streak, winning their last four in a final push for the NCAA tournament. Tied for fifth place in the Big Ten, a conference that usually qualifies half its teams, Minnesota is under pressure to get a second win against the Cats before they face a brutal schedule next week — No. 6 Wisconsin, No. 9 Ohio State and No. 14 Penn State.
Minnesota, which has spent the season in and out of the Top 25, swept the Cats in three games at their first meeting in Minneapolis on Oct. 20.
The Cats have spent this week of practice focusing on the Golden Gophers’ defense. Minnesota’s strength is similar to NU’s — right up the middle. NU has prepared to focus largely on Minnesota middle blocker Stephanie Hagen.
To hit around Minnesota’s big block, the Cats will have to make some changes — namely, spreading the ball and setting the outside hitters more — but they don’t plan to give up on their middle blockers completely.
“They’re a big team, so we have to be smart hitters,” Kamp said. “But they won’t affect our offense, just our defense.”
The Cats take on Iowa (6-19, 3-13 Big Ten), one of three teams in the Big Ten with an inferior record, on Saturday. The Hawkeyes beat the Cats in four games for their first conference win in mid-October.
Iowa outside hitter Sara Meyermann leads the Big Ten in kills, averaging 7.71 per game. Additionally, the Hawkeyes have been sparked by a midseason position switch: They have won three of five matches with freshman setter Kassie Petty starting.
The Cats will have to pick up their level of play to win either match this weekend, but they see it as a realistic possibility. After losing to Michigan and Michigan State last weekend, NU had a productive week. Practices were shorter than usual but more intense, Kamp said.
Chan said he was impressed by all of his players this week, including two slumping Cats, sophomore middle blocker Erika Lange and freshman outside hitter Jill Buschur.
Lange, despite several weeks of subpar performance, is No. 14 on the national blocking charts this week. The Cats are No. 24 in blocking as a team.
This weekend will be the Cats’ best opportunity to break their losing streak until they play hapless Purdue a week from now — and that prospect has them in good spirits.
“This might be the best volleyball they’ve played all year,” Chan said of his team’s recent performance. “I’m really excited to see them play this weekend.”
