Northwestern Comes Up Short Against Washington in Competitive Five-Set Match

Northwestern volleyball pushed the Washington Huskies to the brink in a five-set thriller on Sunday at Welsh-Ryan Arena. However, the Wildcats ultimately fell 3-2 in a match filled with momentum swings and standout performances.

The loss moves Northwestern to 15-13 overall and 5-11 in Big Ten play, while Washington improves to 11-15 and 6-10. Despite the setback, the Wildcats showcased grit and offensive firepower that kept the home crowd engaged from start to finish.

Northwestern Wildcats Athletes Lead the Charge in the Court

Sophomore Rylen Reid continued her breakout season with a match-high 18 kills, setting the tone for a Northwestern attack that battled all afternoon. Ayah Elnady brought efficiency and impact with her 16 kills on .300 hitting. That gave the Wildcats another consistent scoring presence on the outside.

Final | Washington 3, Northwestern 2 pic.twitter.com/Ue1sjtIdRA
— Northwestern Volleyball (@NUVball) November 16, 2025

Senior setter Lauren Carter delivered Northwestern’s only double-double of the match, finishing with 21 assists and 10 digs. Carter’s leadership kept the offense moving despite Washington’s aggressive blocking and late-set pressure.

On the defensive end, Kayla Kauffman anchored the net with a team-leading seven blocks. Meanwhile, Northwestern held its own at times. And Washington maintained an 8.0–4.0 block advantage that swung several key points.

A Back-and-Forth Battle From the Opening Whistle

Washington struck first in dominant fashion, winning the opening set 25-12. Northwestern started strong with two early kills from Elnady. But they couldn’t contain the Huskies’ efficiency, as Washington hit .500 in the frame to take control of the match.

The Wildcats answered with a spirited second set, battling through 10 ties before breaking ahead late. Reid was unstoppable, racking up nine kills in the set. Meanwhile, Northwestern capitalised on Washington errors and a timely kill from Bella Bullington to secure a 19-17 edge. The momentum carried through the final stretch. It is because the Wildcats took six of the last seven points to close out a 25-18 victory. 333 hits and four blocks.

Washington responded in the third, pulling away from a 12-12 tie with a 3-0 run that the Wildcats couldn’t reverse. The Huskies remained steady down the stretch and sealed the set with a service ace to reclaim the match lead.

Refusing to fold, Northwestern clawed back in the fourth. The Wildcats built an early 13-8 advantage before Washington stormed back to tie the score at 20-20. Lauren Carter came up big with back-to-back aces to regain the lead. On the other hand, Elnady delivered a clutch kill at 23-23 to send the match to a decisive fifth set.

Northwestern fought hard in the tiebreaker. That quickly erased a 2-0 deficit with a Bullington kill and an Elnady ace, then took a 5-2 lead with renewed energy. But Washington responded with poise, punishing consecutive Northwestern errors to even things at 8-8. But from there, the Huskies took control, finishing on a 4-0 run to secure the 15-11 set win and the match.

Northwestern now prepares for a tough weekend road test, beginning Friday, November 19, at Ohio State at 5 p.m. CT on B1G+. The Wildcats will then travel to face No. 9 Purdue on Sunday, November 21, at 5:30 p.m. CT on the Big Ten Network.

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