Northwestern defeated Maryland in a five-set thriller Thursday to open the Big Ten season.
The Wildcats (3-6, 1-0 Big Ten) snapped the Terrapins’ (9-3, 0-1 Big Ten) eight-game win streak in College Park, Maryland, to pick up their third straight win.
Graduate student setter Alexa Rousseau led NU to victory, recording a triple-double with 25 assists, 15 digs and a season-high 17 kills. Junior outside hitter Buse Hazan tallied another 15 kills, while junior middle blocker Kennedy Hill racked up nine blocks.
Set one was a serving game. Maryland, which leads the Big Ten in aces, served up five untouched to NU’s two. With the help of three kills from Rousseau, the ’Cats tied things up, but it was the last stalemate of the set. The Terrapins settled into the set as they tallied 12 kills to NU’s nine throughout the set. Despite a last-minute 3-0 run by the ’Cats, Maryland took the set 25-19.
The second set was a battle from start to finish, with 14 tie scores and six lead changes. Led by Rousseau and Hazan, NU kept things close throughout the set, helped along by three service errors by the Terrapins. Though the ’Cats fell behind 20-18, three blocks from graduate student middle blocker Sophia Summers brought NU within three. Hazan brought the ’Cats home to take the second set 25-22.
Set three started close, with Maryland maintaining its lead over NU. A comfortable Terrapin offense hit .375 to the ’Cats .103, and five NU service errors prevented them from rallying back. An overturned challenge in favor of Maryland and a 5-1 run smothered any hopes of a comeback as the Terrapins took the set 25-18.
The ’Cats flew out of the gate to start set four with a kill from Hill. With the offense keeping the momentum and the defense showing through two blocks from Hill, NU recorded its largest lead of the night at 9-3. But Maryland slowly crawled back, battling until the end, when a kill from Hazan forced a fifth set 27-25.
The ’Cats and Terrapins traded points to start the fifth and final set. With the score tied at seven, NU went on a run spurred by kills from Hazan and Hill, alongside two Maryland errors. The Terrapins fought back, getting within two points of the ’Cats before Rousseau and junior outside hitter Rylen Reid sealed NU’s win 15-11.
The ’Cats will host No. 7 Wisconsin in their Big Ten home opener Saturday at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
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