Despite a valiant effort and strong performances in the opening two sets, Northwestern struggled to withstand No. 21 USC’s potent offense, losing in four sets Thursday night.
Junior outside hitter Buse Hazan led the team with 11 kills, and junior middle blocker Kennedy Hill added seven kills. Graduate student setter Alexa Rousseau led the offense with a team-high 19 assists.
Thursday’s game was the Wildcats’ (5-20, 3-14 Big Ten) first meeting with the Trojans (19-8, 11-6 Big Ten), who joined the Big Ten this year, since 1982.
“They definitely play a different style, a little bit different than what we’re used to in the Big Ten,” Rousseau said. “But I think it’s been a great addition, and we’ll kind of add some creativity and excitement into the league for sure.”
The first set was a nail-biter as the ’Cats jumped out to a 9-5 lead behind kills from Hill and junior outside hitter Kathryn Randorf, also capitalizing on USC’s miscues. However, the Trojans clawed back and tied the set 10-10.
It was a back-and-forth affair from then on, with NU taking a 15-12 lead on consecutive kills from Hazan. But the advantage didn’t last, with USC storming back to take a 21-19 lead on multiple kills and NU attack errors. A kill by junior outside hitter Rylen Reid and an opposing attack error tied the game again, followed by USC regaining and relinquishing another lead. A Hazan kill tied the score at 24-24, but the ’Cats couldn’t close it out, losing the first set 26-24.
The second set mirrored the first in several ways, as NU came out swinging early to an 8-3 lead. They maintained a 15-12 lead after another kill from Hazan. However, USC knotted the score at 18-18 with consecutive kills. The ’Cats retook a 21-19 lead on a service ace from Rousseau and held a 23-20 edge after an ace from Reid. This time, however, NU finished the job, closing out the set 25-21 with a kill from Hazan.
“I think sets one and two were really competitive,” Rousseau said. “We won the serving pass game in those sets. Being calm under pressure, that was something that we handled really well, and we were able to close out in that second set well. I think there’s a lot to pull from that and just keep moving forward with it.”
In set three, USC jumped ahead early on and never surrendered the lead, hitting .516. Despite kills from Hazan and Randorf, alongside one from Reid on the match point, USC’s offense overpowered NU as the Trojans took the set 25-15.
By the fourth set, USC quickly grabbed a 9-4 lead and expanded it to 15-8. Kills by Hill and junior setter Lauren Carter, plus an ace from Reid, kept the set competitive. Down 23-13, the ’Cats showed resilience by scoring three straight points. But USC, hitting .400, wore NU down defensively, as it recorded a 25-16 set win that capped off their victory.
Despite the loss, coach Tim Nollan expressed pride in how his team fared against a top-ranked opponent and touted their improvement this season.
“We’re playing better volleyball. From August to now, it’s not even comparable,” Nollan said. “Our passing has gotten more consistent, our offensive execution has been better and our defense has grown by leaps and bounds.”
NU will conclude its home season against Rutgers on Saturday.
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