Rutgers volleyball faced Northwestern in a closely contested match at Jersey Mike’s Arena on Friday night, resulting in a 3-0 loss for the Scarlet Knights. The teams were tied 24 times across three sets, but Northwestern ultimately won with set scores of 25-23, 25-18, and 30-28.
The defeat brought Rutgers’ record to 10-7 overall and 1-4 in Big Ten play. In the Big Ten Discover Volleyball Challenge, Rutgers now stands at 1-1. Northwestern improved its season record to 12-5 and is now 2-3 in conference matches.
Several Rutgers players had notable performances. Juniors Aspen Maxwell and Zora Hardison each recorded 12 kills. Sophomore Natalie Robinson contributed nine kills on 18 attacks with only one error, achieving a .444 hitting percentage for the night. Hardison also led the team defensively with six block assists and is now one block away from her career milestone of 200 blocks.
Sophomore Lily Bolen was close to a double-double, tallying 31 assists and nine digs while matching her career high with three blocks, including her first solo block as a setter. Junior Jenna DeLaMater and sophomore Alleigh Dutton each served two aces; DeLaMater also added eight digs.
In the opening set, both teams exchanged points frequently, reaching a tie at 18 before Northwestern secured the win after key plays by Ayah Elnady. The second set saw Rutgers rally with a seven-point run but fall short as Northwestern finished strong with five unanswered points. The third set featured multiple lead changes and seven set point opportunities for both sides. Although Rutgers held a late advantage at 24-22, Northwestern came back to claim victory after a successful challenge on the final point.
Rutgers will return to action against Illinois on Saturday, October 11 at Jersey Mike’s Arena. The event will feature free headbands for attendees while supplies last and an opportunity for fans to meet players for autographs after the match.
