Volleyball Wraps Up Non-Conference Play at Chicago Cup

EVANSTON, Ill. – The Northwestern volleyball team plays its final weekend of non-conference competition at the Chicago Cup hosted by UIC this weekend. The Wildcats begin the weekend at 4 p.m. CT on Friday, Sept. 16, against DePaul before taking on the host Flames at Noon CT on Saturday, Sept 17, and Loyola Chicago later in the day at 5 p.m. CT.
 
Northwestern improved its record to 8-1 after winning two of three matches last weekend at the Husky Invitational in Seattle. After defeating Cal Poly (3-1) and falling to No. 13 Washington (3-1), the Wildcats recorded their signature victory of the season by dismantling No. 24 Pepperdine, 3-0. It was NU’s first win over a ranked opponent since 2019 against No. 24 Illinois and first away from Welsh-Ryan Arena since 2013 at No. 20 Purdue. For the second time in the Shane Davis era, the ‘Cats have opened the season 8-1 (2017). The Wildcats received nine votes in this week’s AVCA Coaches Poll. NU was last ranked at No. 24 in Week 6 of the 2014 season.
 
Senior Temi Thomas-Ailara leads the team averaging 3.45 kills per set, which ranks ninth in the Big Ten Conference. She has posted double-digit kills in seven of nine matches this season. Alexa Rousseau is sixth in the conference dishing out 9.94 assists per set, with her 308 total assists ranking second. Desiree Becker ranks 10th nationally and second in the Big Ten hitting .447 this year.
 
‘Cat Facts

• Northwestern is hitting .301 as a team, which leads the Big Ten and ranks ninth nationally.
• Last weekend against Cal Poly, Megan Miller recorded her 1,000th career dig. She posted a career-high 27 digs in just three sets in the upset win over No. 24 Pepperdine. It is the second-most digs in a three-set match in program history,…