After Northwestern’s 25-22, 25-22, 27-25 home loss to Illinois on Sunday, coach Tim Nollan did not mince words as he assessed his team’s failure to match up with its in-state rivals.
“I thought we got pushed around out there,” Nollan said. “I don’t think our kids competed very well. I don’t think we played the way we’ve been trying to play all year. I’m incredibly disappointed with our performance.”
The Wildcats (13-7, 3-5 Big Ten) entered Sunday’s contest missing their talisman and kill-leader, senior outside hitter Rylen Reid, with what Nollan described as a “day-to-day” lower extremity issue. It was Reid’s second consecutive match missing out.
Senior outside hitter Buse Hazan took Reid’s place in NU’s five-set win over Michigan after over a month on the sidelines, marking her return with a dominant 17-kill showing.
Hazan picked up right where she left off, earning the first point against the Fighting Illini (12-5, 7-1 Big Ten) with a down-the-line kill reminiscent of the one she delivered to clinch Thursday’s victory.
The ’Cats maintained a slim lead throughout the early stages of the set, but the tide turned as Illinois embarked on a 7-2 run, punctuated by a service ace that forced Nollan to call a timeout trailing 15-13.
The Illini held firm on top of the net, winning several points with blocks as they extended their advantage.
“We didn’t pass very well,” Nollan said. “We had a hard time locating setting, and our attackers had very limited choices.”
A key sliding doors moment occurred with Illinois leading 19-16, when a hit from the visitors flew long and NU thought it had earned the point. However, a challenge by Illini coach Chris Tamas revealed a block touch, and the call was overturned.
With NU trailing 24-21, Hazan saved one set point with a kill, but a delicate touch kill by Illini outside hitter Taylor de Boer on the next point sealed the set.
Illinois drifted out to a slender advantage early in the second set, before a 10-2 run opened the floodgates and put the visitors ahead 20-12.
The ’Cats sprung to life facing a 24-18 hole, saving four consecutive set points. However, the next one proved a bridge too far as a clean kill by Illini outside hitter Alyssa Aguayo to the middle back put Illinois up two sets to none.
After the ’Cats jumped out to a 7-3 lead in the third set, Illinois went on a 5-0 run to take control back. The Illini stayed narrowly ahead through the middle stages of the set, but NU fought back to tie it at 21-21 after a kill by junior outside hitter Campbell Paris was originally called out but overturned following video review.
Paris took over for a brief period, notching a kill to put NU up 22-21 and then another for 24-23. Illinois stood up to test, however, saving two set points and creating a match point of its own, leading 26-25.
Coming out of a timeout staring down the void of defeat, the ’Cats set up a hit for freshman outside hitter Bella Bullington, but Bullington missed wide right to extinguish their last hopes.
Asked if he saw more fight from his team in the third set, Nollan poured cold water on the idea.
“No,” he said. “I mean, honestly, I don’t think we competed the way we need to compete. The way we played today is not going to represent this program. I won’t let it.”
Graduate student outside hitter Ayah Elnady led the team with 12 kills, and Hazan came in just behind her with 10. Elnady and junior libero Drew Wright each notched a joint-team-leading nine digs.
The ’Cats now head out on the road, facing Nebraska and Indiana next weekend.
“We’ll come back next week, and we’ll work really hard in correcting those things before we travel,” Nollan said. “We’ve got to watch film. We’ve got to show them where we made the mistakes. We’ve got to go back to our techniques and figure out why we’re making those mistakes, and just try and get some better performances.”
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