As tedious as growing pains are, their reward can make it all worthwhile.
Northwestern lost twice as many games as it won last year while starting at least four freshmen in every match. That youth movement already is paying dividends this season in the midst of the school’s best start since 1987.
NU beat Kentucky on Saturday night at Welsh-Ryan Arena to win the Wildcat Classic and run its record to 9-1. The three-game sweep (30-28, 30-25, 30-27) capped a 3-0 weekend after victories over Southern Illinois and Brown.
Sophomore outside hitter Lindsay Anderson earned tournament MVP honors with a team-high 33 kills and a .333 hitting percentage. Anderson played in 28 matches as a freshman and led the team in kills with 299. She came on especially strong in the final month of last season, and the momentum has carried over early in her second year.
“It’s helped immensely,” Anderson said of her playing time as a freshman. “You’re just so much more used to the whole feel and the flow and the speed of the game.”
In Saturday’s early match, Anderson blasted a career-high seven aces as NU cruised past Brown (30-10, 30-24, 30-13). She also posted a double-double with 16 kills and 11 digs in Friday’s win over the Salukis (30-26, 30-23, 30-23). Fellow sophomore Stephanie Jurivich averaged 23 assists per match to become the fifth different NU player to earn all-tourney honors this season.
“We’re young, but we really aren’t,” said sixth-year coach Keylor Chan. “We have a lot of kids with some experience as juniors and sophomores now. They’re a lot more confident.”
Confidence has not led to complacency during the team’s current six-match winning streak. Hustle digs, powerful spikes and fiery celebrations punctuated NU’s second straight tournament victory.
After sweeping Southern Illinois, senior co-captain Christie Gardner was disappointed with the team’s passing and called the game an “off-night.” With the Wildcats leading 15-2 in the third game against Brown, Gardner dove to the floor for an untouchable ball.
Gardner and Lizzie Carlson are the lone returning seniors, but this year’s squad won’t have to overcome inexperience as it tries to develop consistency. Chelsy Hyser was the only freshman to see court time during the weekend.
“When everyone’s playing well, you can’t really stop us,” said Gardner, who recorded a tournament-high 42 digs.
In its nine victories this year, NU has dropped a total of one game. The team entered the Wildcat Classic ranked 22nd in the nation with .278 hitting percentage. The Cats hit .301 over the weekend while holding opponents to a .130 average.
“I think a lot of people are shocked that we’re 9-1 and that we’re really winning pretty easily,” Chan said. “But we know it’s going to be tough. The Big Ten is another level.”
NU opens conference play Friday against Iowa. The Cats stumbled to a 5-15 record against Big Ten teams last season and failed to make the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2001.
Four of NU’s first seven Big Ten opponents – Minnesota, Penn State, Ohio State and Wisconsin – are nationally ranked. The Cats went 0-8 against these four powerhouses last year, losing all but two games.
“They experienced a lot of adversity,” Chan said. “It’s nothing that we can simulate in practice or we can give them. I think the experience was a huge component of us starting so well right now.”
Reach Gerald Tang at [email protected].
