Volleyball Takes Six-Match Win-Streak to Washington

EVANSTON, Ill. – The Northwestern volleyball team will take its 6-0 record to the Pacific Northwest for the Husky Invitational hosted by the University of Washington from Thursday, Sept. 8 through Friday, Sept. 9. Stiff competition awaits the Wildcats as two of their three opponents appear in the AVCA Poll. The third weekend of competition begins with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. CT on Thursday, Sept. 8 against Cal Poly and at 9:30 p.m. CT against the No. 13 Huskies. NU wraps up the weekend against No. 24 Pepperdine at 7 p.m. CT on Friday, Sept. 9.
 
‘Cat Facts

• Northwestern is on its best start to a season of the Shane Davis era, and the program’s best start since the 2012 team won its first 11 matches.
• The Wildcats are taking on their first ranked opponent of 2022 and last defeated a ranked opponent in 2019 when they downed No. 17 Illinois in the season finale, 3-1.
• NU has hit a blistering .332 to start they the year, which leads the Big Ten Conference and ranks second nationally behind Kentucky (.375).
• Desiree Becker ranks second in the Big Ten (minimum 3.0 TA/Set) hitting .479 and Leilani Dodson places fourth hitting .436.
• Kathryn Randorf paces the team and is ninth in the Big Ten, averaging 3.45 kills per set.

 Hanna Lesiak earned Northwestern’s first Big Ten Player of the Year Award since 2015 earlier this week as she led the ‘Cats to a 3-0 record at the Golden Eagle Invitational with 3.45 k/s (38 kills) on a .412 hitting percentage. Lesiak, who was also named tournament MVP, tallied a season-high 14 kills while hitting .478 and contributing eight digs against Tennessee Tech. The outside hitter followed by recording a double-double (12 kills, 11 digs) against…