Oct. 22, 2007

Northwestern Match Notes in PDF Format
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EVANSTON, Ill. -- The second half of Northwestern's conference schedule kicks off this week with a Big Ten Network match Wednesday night against Michigan State and a Friday tilt versus No. 20 Michigan at Welsh-Ryan Arena.

Both matches are slated to start at 7 p.m. CT, with the contest against the Spartans being televised live by the Big Ten Network.

The Wildcats ended their first half of the league schedule on a winning note, besting No. 13 Minnesota and Iowa at home last weekend. NU began the Big Ten slate with a win at then-No. 23 Ohio State before dropping seven matches in a row prior to its victories over the Gophers and the Hawkeyes.

Halfway through the Big Ten season, senior Lindsay Anderson (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier) leads NU with 3.34 kills per game in conference play, while ranking third in the league in aces per game with 0.37.

Senior Brittney Aldridge (Hampshire, Ill./Hampshire) is fourth in the Big Ten with a .355 hitting percentage in conference play, while junior Chelsy Hyser (Belvidere, Ill./Belvidere) is sixth with a hitting percentage of .339.

Sophomore libero Kate Nobilio (Johnsburg, Ill./Johnsburg) is second in the Big Ten with 5.74 digs per game in all matches, well on pace to shatter the school record of 5.02 set by Christie Gardner in 2005.

Northwestern fell to both Michigan State and then-No. 16 Michigan in the schools' first meetings this year. In East Lansing, the Wildcats came back to win game three in an eventual four-game loss to the Spartans, while the Wolverines swept the 'Cats.

Senior Courtnie Paulus (Belgium, Wis./Ozaukee) is expected to be a game-time decision for Wednesday night's match after missing last weekend's action with a minor injury suffered in practice.

For Northwestern's complete match notes package for the upcoming week, click on the .pdf link at the top of this page.

The Week

Wednesday, October 24 (Big Ten Network)
Michigan State (13-9, 4-6)
at Northwestern (12-9, 3-7) 7 p.m. CT

Friday, October 26 No. 20 Michigan (17-5, 5-5)
at Northwestern (12-9, 3-7) 7 p.m. CT

Series Records
Michigan State: Northwestern leads, 29-24
Last Meeting: Oct. 3, 2007 (MSU, 3-1)
Michigan: Michigan leads, 30-23
Last Meeting: Oct. 7, 2007 (UM, 3-0)

On The Web
Gametracker will be available at NUsports.com for both matches this weekend. Also, live streaming video of Friday's match against Michigan will be available on NUsports.com via CSTV Online's premium All-Access.

On Your Television
Northwestern's match Wednesday night against Michigan State will be broadcast LIVE on the Big Ten Network. If you do not get the Big Ten Network, call your cable company and tell them you want to watch the Wildcats!

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