Rutger’s Kamshilina Posts Career High 11 Kills In Loss To Northwestern

Press Release courtesy of Rutgers Athletics

Rutgers volleyball dropped a Big Ten match at Northwestern in straight sets (25-16, 25-16, 25-14) on Wednesday evening.

Freshman outside hitter Yana Kamshilina bounced a career-high 11 kills on .364 hitting to go with seven digs and two blocks for the Scarlet Knights (5-18, 0-11 B1G), who also out-blocked an opponent for the 11^th time this season with a 7-5 edge in the stuff department. The Wildcats (13-10, 3-8) used a .440 hitting percentage while holding Rutgers to .143.

Set 1 | Northwestern 25, Rutgers 16

Kamshilina got Rutgers on the board amid a 7-1 Northwestern run to start the match. The Rutgers rookie remained productive with a solo block and another kill, but NU put together two more 3-0 runs to maintain a lead and gain set point at 24-13. Kamshilina and freshman opposite hitter Kamila Cieslik picked up kills as RU saved three set points before a service error wrapped up the opener in favor of the Wildcats.

Set 2 | Northwestern 25, Rutgers 16

Although the frame ended in the same score as the first, it was Rutgers that got off to the early lead, 3-1, as Kamshilina continued to impress on the attack with a kill for the set’s first point. Sophomore middle blocker Stasa Miljevic contributed on two block assists for the lead, which would hold until Northwestern’s 4-0 stint to regain the advantage 10-7. Another Kamshilina kill brought RU within 19-15, but NU scored six of the set’s final seven points.

Set 3 | Northwestern 25, Rutgers 14

Four consecutive attack errors by Rutgers handed the Wildcats a 10-4 edge, prompting a timeout. Sophomore setter Megan Sharkey’s favorite target of the day, Kamshilina, snapped the slump with a kill and a block as the two sides traded points to 14-7 in NU’s favor. Rutgers kept it tight until Northwestern used a 4-0 spurt to take a 22-11 lead, which was broken up by Kamshilina’s career-best 11^th kill of the match.

Knight Notes

• Rutgers’ first midweek match of the year wrapped up a season series with Northwestern, a sweep for the Wildcats in the first year playing Rutgers twice. NU is now 5-0 all-time over the Scarlet Knights.
• Cieslik was set the most times on Wednesday (28 attempts) and finished with nine kills, two digs and two blocks. NU broke her streak of six straight Big Ten matches with at least one ace.
• Junior outside hitter Sahbria McLetchie assisted on four blocks, a season high for the transfer from VCU.
• Rutgers out-blocked an opponent for the 11^th time this season out of 23 matches, and the fifth time leading or tied in blocks against a Big Ten foe.
• Despite just one team service ace (McLetchie), the Scarlet Knights committed a season-low four service errors, and also received the ball well with just five reception errors – the lowest mark in six matches and tied for the third best performance in their Big Ten matches this year.

Up Next: The Scarlet Knights return home from a three-match road stint to host No. 5 Minnesota on Saturday, Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. in the College Ave. Gym on Halloween Costume Contest Night.

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