Northwestern was swept by No. 9 Wisconsin Sunday, extending its losing streak to five.
Despite a tight second set, the Wildcats (3-11, 1-5 Big Ten) were overpowered by the Badgers’ (11-4, 5-1 Big Ten) efficient offense and blocking prowess in Madison, falling in three sets.
The first set started with a bang for NU with graduate middle blocker Sophia Summers’ first ace of the season. But Wisconsin soon got its offense going, capitalizing on errors from the ’Cats. Four kills from sophomore outside hitter Lily Wagner and three from Summers put some points on the board for the ’Cats, but with NU hitting .026 to the Badgers’ .379, Wisconsin soon triumphed, 25-13.
Junior middle blocker Kennedy Hill got the ’Cats started quickly in the second set with a kill. Errors by the Badgers and productivity from NU’s middle blockers kept things even early. Hill, Summers and Wagner snagged the lead for the ’Cats, but it didn’t last. A 6-0 scoring run by the Badgers brought Wisconsin within two points of victory, soon claiming the second set 25-23.
The third set started close, but the Badgers soon took charge. Kills from graduate student setter Alexa Rousseau and junior outside hitters Kathryn Randorf and Buse Hazan worked to keep the ’Cats in the game, but Wisconsin maintained its lead. Hazan, NU’s leader in kills, checked in briefly in the second set for the first time since the ’Cats’ loss to Illinois last week, and played for most of the third, but the change in the lineup wasn’t enough. Despite a last-minute ace by Summers, the Badgers took the set 25-20, and the match 3-0.
Despite the loss, Rousseau was once again just shy of a triple-double with 10 kills, 19 assists and eight digs. Wagner added another 10 kills and eight digs, while Summers hit .778, tallying seven kills and four blocks.
NU will be back in action against Iowa on Wednesday at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
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