NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. – The Rutgers women’s volleyball team concludes its season at home with Illinois and Northwestern. The Scarlet Knights rematch with the Fighting Illini on Friday, Nov. 25 before meeting the Wildcats for the first time this year on Saturday, Nov. 26.
Saturday’s match marks Senior Knight as the program will honor its three graduating seniors – Lauren Cloyd, Cole Trimble, and Mikaela Matthews.
Game 1: Friday, Nov. 25 vs. Illinois 7 p.m. Live Stats | BTN Plus
Game 2: Sunday, Nov. 26 vs. Northwestern 7 p.m. Live Stats | BTN Plus
PROMOTIONS
Free Stuff Friday returns against Illinois as the first 100 fans in attendance will receive a mini volleyball. Saturday’s match will honor the 2016 senior class with a pre-match ceremony.
RU’S LAST TIME OUT Rutgers (4-27, 0-18 Big Ten) started the week with a trip to Iowa on Wednesday, suffering a 3-1 loss to the Hawkeyes. RU then returned home to host Indiana on Sunday, falling in three sets to the Hoosiers.
Freshman middle blocker Jasmine Stackhouse matched her career best in both matches, posting seven blocks against the Hawkeyes and Hoosiers. Stackhouse ranks eighth in the Big Ten with 1.18 blocks per set. Freshman setter Megan Sharkey registered a career best of her own with 29 assists against the Hawkeyes.
SCOUTING ILLINOIS Illinois (16-13, 9-9 Big Ten) has jumped in and out of the rankings this season and enters the week receiving votes in the poll. The Fighting Illini ended a seven-game skid with two victories over the weekend. IU first topped Maryland in three sets before defeating No. 24 Ohio State in four.
Ali Bastianelli leads the conference with 1.81 blocks per set for a total of 190 blocks on the season. Brandi Donnelly holds the top spot in digs per set with an average of 4.48.
Illinois improved its lead in the all-time series to 6-1 with a 3-0 win over Rutgers in Champaign earlier this season.
SCOUTING NORTHWESTERN Northwestern (9-21, 2-16 Big Ten) snapped an eight-match losing streak with a sweep of Maryland on Saturday at home. The Wildcats also own an upset of No. 24 Purdue, having topped the Boilermakers in four sets prior to the skid. Six of NU’s last seven matches have come against a top 20 opponent, including most notably a five-set loss to No. 3 Wisconsin.
Symone Abbott sits at third in the conference with 4.08 kills per set. Maddie Slater leads the team with a .300 hitting percentage to go with 170 kills.
Northwestern has won all three matchups with Rutgers. The teams have met once a year since the Scarlet Knights joined the Big Ten in 2014.
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News courtesy of Rutgers Athletics.
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