Northwestern vs Alabama Volleyball: Northwestern Wins 3-1

Final · 4 setsThu, Sep 3, 2026 · Neutral site

3:1

Northwestern beat Alabama 3-1 (16-25, 25-18, 25-18, 25-23) on Thu, Sep 3, 2026 at a neutral site. Northwestern's Mara Stiglic led with 18 kills.

Data through Nov 3, 4:00 PM CT · final Sep 3

Set	1	2	3	4	Sets
NW	16	25	25	25	3
ALA	25	18	18	23	1

Win probability

Alabama above 50 · Northwestern below

Biggest swing: 10.9% to Northwestern — set 4, NW 25-23 ALA. Kill by Isabella Bullington (set by Ellie Stiernagle). ALA win probability 11% → 0%.

Pre-match

Season fit · includes this match

NW 45.0%55.0% ALA

Northwestern wins

3-0

10.5%

3-1

16.7%

3-2

17.8%

Alabama wins

3-0

14.7%

3-1

20.8%

3-2

19.4%

NW break %: 42.8% vs this opp
ALA break %: 43.7% vs this opp

Exact Markov model on each team's RallyIQ serve and receive strength, adjusted for schedule and applied to this matchup (D1 average break % 42.5%). Ratings use the whole season, including this match. Gold = actual result.

Top plays

Largest win-probability swings

01
Isabella BullingtonKill+10.9%
Kill by Isabella Bullington (set by Ellie Stiernagle)
Set 4 · NW 25-23 ALA · NW 89% → 100%
02
Clara SchrammKill+8.2%
Kill by Clara Schramm (set by Ellie Stiernagle)
Set 4 · NW 24-22 ALA · NW 86% → 94%
03
Isabella BullingtonKill+7.0%
Kill by Isabella Bullington (set by Drew Wright)
Set 4 · NW 23-21 ALA · NW 84% → 91%
04
Mara StiglicAttack error+6.4%
Attack error by Mara Stiglic
Set 4 · NW 22-21 ALA · ALA 10% → 16%
05
Hayley SchaafBlock+5.9%
Lily Gervase stuffed by Hayley Schaaf
Set 4 · NW 18-16 ALA · NW 78% → 84%
06
Isabella BullingtonKill+5.6%
Kill by Isabella Bullington (set by Gigi Navarrete)
Set 4 · NW 20-17 ALA · NW 85% → 91%
07
Lily GervaseKill+5.5%
Kill by Lily Gervase (set by Hannah Parant)
Set 4 · NW 16-16 ALA · ALA 21% → 26%
08
Lily GervaseKill+5.0%
Kill by Lily Gervase (set by Hannah Parant)
Set 4 · NW 23-22 ALA · ALA 9% → 14%

Box score

Official NCAA box

Northwesternaway

Player	S	K	E	TA	Hit%	AST	SA	SE	DIG	RE	BS	BA	BLK	PTS
12Mara StiglicOH	4	18	8	48	.208	0	4	1	2	0	1	0	1	23
22Isabella BullingtonOH	4	15	1	32	.438	2	3	2	6	4	1	0	1	19
25Campbell ParisOH	4	9	3	22	.273	0	0	0	2	0	0	2	1	10
17Maya StillwellMB	4	4	0	11	.364	0	0	0	1	0	0	3	1.5	5.5
11Ellie StiernagleS	4	1	1	6	.000	42	3	1	12	0	0	3	1.5	5.5
2Drew WrightL/DS	4	0	0	0	–	2	0	0	12	0	0	0	0	0
9Hayley SchaafMB	4	7	1	11	.545	1	0	0	0	0	1	2	2	9
23Gigi NavarreteL/DS	4	0	0	0	–	4	0	0	4	2	0	0	0	0
7Lauren DignanL/DS	4	0	0	0	–	0	0	0	10	1	0	0	0	0
6Clara SchrammOH	1	1	1	2	.000	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
Team totals		55	15	132	.303	51	10	4	49	9	3	10	8	91

Alabamahome

Player	S	K	E	TA	Hit%	AST	SA	SE	DIG	RE	BS	BA	BLK	PTS
5Laney HennesseeOH	4	12	1	26	.423	2	1	3	3	3	0	0	0	13
14Addison EngelMB	4	11	2	20	.450	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	1	12
11Kaleigh PalmerOH	4	11	3	29	.276	1	0	0	8	0	0	1	0.5	11.5
23Mya AllenOH	4	9	7	26	.077	2	0	0	1	1	1	2	2	11
9Lily GervaseMB	4	9	3	19	.316	1	1	0	2	0	0	2	1	11
1Hannah ParantS	4	3	0	9	.333	39	3	3	5	0	0	1	0.5	6.5
8Lindsey BrownDS	4	0	0	0	–	2	2	0	9	0	0	0	0	2
18Leilia ToailoaOH	4	0	0	0	–	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
2Dionii FragaL/DS	4	0	0	1	.000	1	0	0	16	0	0	0	0	0
12Erin ClarkL/DS	3	0	0	0	–	0	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	1
7Ava WallisS	1	0	0	0	–	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
Team totals		55	16	130	.300	48	9	8	45	10	1	8	5	84

Starters listed first. BLK is the NCAA total: a solo counts 1, a block assist ½. Recaps and press releases usually quote solos + assists instead, so the same night can be reported as a bigger, whole number. The box score is the source for every counting stat on this page.

Momentum

Point differential by rally

Longest run 5 NW · ALA 4

Set 1

16-25

Longest run 3 NWALA 4

Set 2

25-18

Longest run 5 NWALA 2

Set 3

25-18

Longest run 5 NWALA 4

Set 4

25-23

Longest run 3 NWALA 4

Bars above the line = Alabama leads, below = Northwestern leads. Bright bars are points inside a run of 3+.

Rotations

Sideout and break % by rotation slot

Northwestern

Slot	Sideout %	Break %
1	67%10/15	50%9/18
2	59%10/17	50%10/20
3	73%8/11	50%8/16
4	50%8/16	47%7/15
5	53%8/15	20%2/10
6	64%7/11	36%4/11
All	60%51/85	44%40/90

Alabama

Slot	Sideout %	Break %
1	44%11/25	36%5/14
2	50%9/18	38%6/16
3	53%8/15	44%7/16
4	67%8/12	43%6/14
5	70%7/10	38%5/13
6	70%7/10	42%5/12
All	56%50/90	40%34/85

Slot = rotations since the start of the set (slot 1 is the lineup a team opened the set in), not a fixed player alignment. Only clean sets count (4 of 4 here): sets where the NCAA play-by-play has gaps or score corrections are left out because the rotation can't be tracked through them.

Rally log

175 rallies

#	NW-ALA	Srv	Point	End	Player	Setter / blockers / passer	WP Δ
Set 1
1	0-1	NW	ALA	Kill	Kaleigh Palmer	set Hannah Parant	+1.8
2	0-2	ALA	ALA	Kill	Lily Gervase	set Hannah Parant	+2.4
3	1-2	ALA	NW×3	Kill	Campbell Paris	set Ellie Stiernagle	+1.8
4	2-2	NW	NW×3	Ace	Northwestern	aced Laney Hennessee	+2.5
5	3-2	NW	NW×3	Ace	Northwestern	aced Laney Hennessee	+2.6
6	3-3	NW	ALA	Kill	Laney Hennessee	set Hannah Parant	+1.9
7	4-3	ALA	NW	Attack err	Mya Allen		+2.0
8	5-3	NW	NW	Kill	Campbell Paris		+2.6
9	5-4	NW	ALA	Kill	Mya Allen	set Laney Hennessee	+1.9
10	6-4	ALA	NW	Kill	Isabella Bullington	set Ellie Stiernagle	+2.1
11	6-5	NW	ALA	Kill	Lily Gervase	set Hannah Parant	+2.0
12	6-6	ALA	ALA	Kill	Laney Hennessee	set Lily Gervase	+2.7
13	7-6	ALA	NW	Kill	Hayley Schaaf	set Ellie Stiernagle	+2.2
14	7-7	NW	ALA×4	Attack err	Mara Stiglic		+2.1
15	7-8	ALA	ALA×4	Attack err	Mara Stiglic		+2.9
16	7-9	ALA	ALA×4	Kill	Laney Hennessee	set Hannah Parant	+2.8
17	7-10	ALA	ALA×4	Ace	Alabama		+2.7
18	8-10	ALA	NW	Kill	Mara Stiglic	set Gigi Navarrete	+1.9
19	8-11	NW	ALA×3	Kill	Laney Hennessee	set Hannah Parant	+2.1
20	8-12	ALA	ALA×3	Kill	Addison Engel		+2.5
21	8-13	ALA	ALA×3	Blocked	Mara Stiglic	blk Kaleigh Palmer, Addison Engel	+2.1
22	9-13	ALA	NW	Kill	Mara Stiglic	set Drew Wright	+1.3
23	9-14	NW	ALA	Kill	Mya Allen	set Hannah Parant	+1.6
24	9-15	ALA	ALA	Ace	Alabama	aced Lauren Dignan	+1.7
25	10-15	ALA	NW	Kill	Mara Stiglic	set Ellie Stiernagle	+0.9
26	10-16	NW	ALA	Kill	Kaleigh Palmer	set Hannah Parant	+1.2
27	11-16	ALA	NW	Blocked	Mya Allen	blk Maya Stillwell, Campbell Paris	+0.9
28	11-17	NW	ALA	Kill	Kaleigh Palmer	set Hannah Parant	+1.2
29	11-18	ALA	ALA	Ace	Alabama	aced Isabella Bullington	+1.1
30	12-18	ALA	NW	Kill	Hayley Schaaf	set Ellie Stiernagle	+0.5
31	12-19	NW	ALA	Kill	Hannah Parant		+0.8
32	12-20	ALA	ALA	Kill	Laney Hennessee	set Mya Allen	+0.6
33	13-20	ALA	NW	Kill	Isabella Bullington	set Ellie Stiernagle	+0.2
34	14-20	NW	NW	Attack err	Addison Engel		+0.5
35	14-21	NW	ALA×3	Kill	Laney Hennessee	set Lindsey Brown	+0.6
36	14-22	ALA	ALA×3	Ace	Alabama	aced Isabella Bullington	+0.4
37	14-23	ALA	ALA×3	Attack err	Ellie Stiernagle		+0.1
38	15-23	ALA	NW	Serve err	Alabama		·
39	15-24	NW	ALA	Kill	Kaleigh Palmer	set Hannah Parant	+0.1
40	16-24	ALA	NW	Serve err	Alabama		·
41	16-25	NW	ALA	Kill	Addison Engel	set Hannah Parant	·
Set 2
1	1-0	ALA	NW	Serve err	Alabama		+1.8
2	1-1	NW	ALA	Kill	Kaleigh Palmer	set Hannah Parant	+1.8
3	1-2	ALA	ALA	Ace	Alabama	aced Isabella Bullington	+2.4
4	2-2	ALA	NW	Serve err	Alabama		+1.8
5	3-2	NW	NW	Ace	Northwestern		+2.4
6	3-3	NW	ALA	Kill	Mya Allen	set Hannah Parant	+1.8
7	4-3	ALA	NW×4	Kill	Mara Stiglic	set Ellie Stiernagle	+1.9
8	5-3	NW	NW×4	Blocked	Mya Allen	blk Campbell Paris, Maya Stillwell	+2.5
9	6-3	NW	NW×4	Ace	Northwestern	aced Mya Allen	+2.5
10	7-3	NW	NW×4	Ace	Northwestern	aced Laney Hennessee	+2.3
11	7-4	NW	ALA	Attack err	Campbell Paris		+1.6
12	8-4	ALA	NW	Kill	Campbell Paris	set Ellie Stiernagle	+1.8
13	9-4	NW	NW	Kill	Isabella Bullington	set Ellie Stiernagle	+2.1
14	9-5	NW	ALA	Kill	Mya Allen	set Hannah Parant	+1.4
15	10-5	ALA	NW	Kill	Isabella Bullington	set Gigi Navarrete	+1.6
16	10-6	NW	ALA	Kill	Laney Hennessee	set Hannah Parant	+1.4
17	11-6	ALA	NW	Kill	Isabella Bullington	set Ellie Stiernagle	+1.7
18	11-7	NW	ALA	Serve err	Northwestern		+1.4
19	12-7	ALA	NW×5	Kill	Hayley Schaaf	set Ellie Stiernagle	+1.7
20	13-7	NW	NW×5	Kill	Mara Stiglic	set Ellie Stiernagle	+1.8
21	14-7	NW	NW×5	Kill	Maya Stillwell	set Ellie Stiernagle	+1.4
22	15-7	NW	NW×5	Kill	Mara Stiglic	set Lindsey Brown	+1.1
23	16-7	NW	NW×5	Kill	Maya Stillwell	set Ellie Stiernagle	+0.7
24	16-8	NW	ALA	Kill	Kaleigh Palmer	set Dionii Fraga	+0.3
25	17-8	ALA	NW	Kill	Mara Stiglic	set Ellie Stiernagle	+0.5
26	18-8	NW	NW	Ace	Northwestern		+0.4
27	18-9	NW	ALA	Serve err	Northwestern		+0.2
28	19-9	ALA	NW	Kill	Campbell Paris	set Ellie Stiernagle	+0.3
29	19-10	NW	ALA	Serve err	Northwestern		+0.1
30	19-11	ALA	ALA	Blocked	Campbell Paris	blk Lily Gervase, Mya Allen	+0.3
31	20-11	ALA	NW	Kill	Isabella Bullington	set Ellie Stiernagle	+0.3
32	20-12	NW	ALA	Kill	Mya Allen	set Hannah Parant	+0.2
33	20-13	ALA	ALA	Kill	Lily Gervase	set Gigi Navarrete	+0.3
34	21-13	ALA	NW	Kill	Campbell Paris	set Ellie Stiernagle	+0.4
35	21-14	NW	ALA	Kill	Laney Hennessee	set Mya Allen	+0.2
36	22-14	ALA	NW	Kill	Isabella Bullington	set Hayley Schaaf	+0.3
37	22-15	NW	ALA	Kill	Addison Engel	set Hannah Parant	+0.1
38	22-16	ALA	ALA	Ace	Alabama	aced Gigi Navarrete	+0.3
39	23-16	ALA	NW	Kill	Hayley Schaaf	set Ellie Stiernagle	+0.4
40	23-17	NW	ALA	Kill	Laney Hennessee	set Hannah Parant	+0.1
41	23-18	ALA	ALA	Attack err	Mara Stiglic		+0.4
42	24-18	ALA	NW	Kill	Kaleigh Palmer	set Ellie Stiernagle	+0.6
43	25-18	NW	NW	Ace	Northwestern		+0.2
Set 3
1	1-0	NW	NW×5	Attack err	Laney Hennessee		+3.3
2	2-0	NW	NW×5	Kill	Mara Stiglic	set Ellie Stiernagle	+3.3
3	3-0	NW	NW×5	Ace	Northwestern		+3.3
4	4-0	NW	NW×5	Ace	Northwestern		+3.1
5	5-0	NW	NW×5	Ace	Northwestern		+2.8
6	5-1	NW	ALA×3	Kill	Kaleigh Palmer	set Hannah Parant	+1.9
7	5-2	ALA	ALA×3	Ace	Alabama	aced Gigi Navarrete	+2.8
8	5-3	ALA	ALA×3	Attack err	Hayley Schaaf		+3.1
9	6-3	ALA	NW×3	Kill	Mara Stiglic	set Ellie Stiernagle	+2.6
10	7-3	NW	NW×3	Kill	Maya Stillwell	set Ellie Stiernagle	+3.3
11	8-3	NW	NW×3	Kill	Mara Stiglic	set Ellie Stiernagle	+3.0
12	8-4	NW	ALA×4	Kill	Lily Gervase	set Hannah Parant	+1.9
13	8-5	ALA	ALA×4	Blocked	Mara Stiglic	blk Addison Engel, Hannah Parant	+2.9
14	8-6	ALA	ALA×4	Kill	Addison Engel	set Mara Stiglic	+3.3
15	8-7	ALA	ALA×4	Ace	Alabama		+3.6
16	9-7	ALA	NW	Kill	Maya Stillwell	set Ellie Stiernagle	+3.0
17	10-7	NW	NW	Kill	Hannah Parant	set Hannah Parant	+3.8
18	10-8	NW	ALA	Kill	Addison Engel	set Hannah Parant	+2.6
19	11-8	ALA	NW×4	Blocked	Mya Allen	blk Mara Stiglic	+3.0
20	12-8	NW	NW×4	Attack err	Laney Hennessee		+3.6
21	13-8	NW	NW×4	Kill	Campbell Paris	set Ellie Stiernagle	+3.1
22	14-8	NW	NW×4	Bad set	Hannah Parant		+2.6
23	14-9	NW	ALA	Kill	Kaleigh Palmer	set Hannah Parant	+1.5
24	14-10	ALA	ALA	Attack err	Isabella Bullington		+2.5
25	15-10	ALA	NW	Kill	Isabella Bullington	set Ellie Stiernagle	+2.4
26	15-11	NW	ALA	Kill	Kaleigh Palmer	set Hannah Parant	+1.9
27	16-11	ALA	NW×3	Kill	Campbell Paris	set Ellie Stiernagle	+2.4
28	17-11	NW	NW×3	Blocked	Kaleigh Palmer	blk Isabella Bullington	+2.5
29	18-11	NW	NW×3	Kill	Isabella Bullington	set Ellie Stiernagle	+1.7
30	18-12	NW	ALA×3	Kill	Lily Gervase	set Hannah Parant	+0.8
31	18-13	ALA	ALA×3	Kill	Mya Allen	set Laney Hennessee	+1.6
32	18-14	ALA	ALA×3	Kill	Hannah Parant	set Ellie Stiernagle	+2.3
33	19-14	ALA	NW×4	Attack err	Lily Gervase		+2.4
34	20-14	NW	NW×4	Blocked	Mya Allen	blk Ellie Stiernagle, Hayley Schaaf	+2.2
35	21-14	NW	NW×4	Attack err	Kaleigh Palmer		+1.3
36	22-14	NW	NW×4	Blocked	Mya Allen	blk Hayley Schaaf, Ellie Stiernagle	+0.6
37	22-15	NW	ALA	Serve err	Northwestern		+0.2
38	23-15	ALA	NW	Kill	Mara Stiglic	set Ellie Stiernagle	+0.3
39	23-16	NW	ALA×3	Kill	Laney Hennessee	set Hannah Parant	+0.1
40	23-17	ALA	ALA×3	Kill	Addison Engel		+0.3
41	23-18	ALA	ALA×3	Kill	Laney Hennessee	set Lindsey Brown	+0.5
42	24-18	ALA	NW	Attack err	Addison Engel		+0.8
43	25-18	NW	NW	Kill	Mara Stiglic		+0.2
Set 4
1	1-0	ALA	NW	Serve err	Alabama		+2.6
2	1-1	NW	ALA	Kill	Addison Engel	set Hannah Parant	+2.6
3	2-1	ALA	NW×3	Kill	Hayley Schaaf	set Ellie Stiernagle	+2.7
4	3-1	NW	NW×3	Kill	Mara Stiglic	set Ellie Stiernagle	+3.5
5	4-1	NW	NW×3	Blocked	Mya Allen	blk Maya Stillwell, Ellie Stiernagle	+3.5
6	4-2	NW	ALA	Kill	Kaleigh Palmer	set Hannah Parant	+2.5
7	5-2	ALA	NW	Serve err	Alabama		+2.7
8	5-3	NW	ALA×4	Kill	Mya Allen	set Hannah Parant	+2.5
9	5-4	ALA	ALA×4	Attack err	Campbell Paris		+3.6
10	5-5	ALA	ALA×4	Attack err	Mara Stiglic		+3.7
11	5-6	ALA	ALA×4	Bad set	Ellie Stiernagle		+3.8
12	6-6	ALA	NW	Serve err	Alabama		+2.9
13	6-7	NW	ALA	Kill	Mya Allen	set Hannah Parant	+3.0
14	7-7	ALA	NW	Kill	Campbell Paris	set Ellie Stiernagle	+3.0
15	8-7	NW	NW	Attack err	Kaleigh Palmer		+4.1
16	8-8	NW	ALA	Kill	Lily Gervase	set Hannah Parant	+3.1
17	9-8	ALA	NW	Kill	Isabella Bullington	set Ellie Stiernagle	+3.2
18	9-9	NW	ALA	Kill	Addison Engel	set Hannah Parant	+3.2
19	10-9	ALA	NW×3	Kill	Isabella Bullington	set Ellie Stiernagle	+3.3
20	11-9	NW	NW×3	Attack err	Laney Hennessee		+4.4
21	12-9	NW	NW×3	Kill	Hayley Schaaf	set Ellie Stiernagle	+4.2
22	12-10	NW	ALA	Kill	Addison Engel	set Hannah Parant	+2.9
23	13-10	ALA	NW	Kill	Ellie Stiernagle		+3.3
24	13-11	NW	ALA	Kill	Mya Allen	set Hannah Parant	+2.9
25	13-12	ALA	ALA	Ace	Alabama	aced Isabella Bullington	+4.4
26	14-12	ALA	NW	Kill	Mara Stiglic	set Isabella Bullington	+3.7
27	15-12	NW	NW	Kill	Mara Stiglic	set Ellie Stiernagle	+4.6
28	15-13	NW	ALA	Kill	Lily Gervase	set Hannah Parant	+3.0
29	15-14	ALA	ALA	Blocked	Mara Stiglic	blk Mya Allen, Lily Gervase	+4.7
30	16-14	ALA	NW	Kill	Mara Stiglic	set Ellie Stiernagle	+4.0
31	16-15	NW	ALA	Kill	Hannah Parant		+3.7
32	16-16	ALA	ALA	Kill	Lily Gervase	set Hannah Parant	+5.5
33	17-16	ALA	NW	Kill	Isabella Bullington	set Ellie Stiernagle	+4.5
34	18-16	NW	NW	Blocked	Lily Gervase	blk Hayley Schaaf	+5.9
35	18-17	NW	ALA	Kill	Laney Hennessee	set Hannah Parant	+4.0
36	19-17	ALA	NW	Kill	Campbell Paris	set Gigi Navarrete	+4.8
37	20-17	NW	NW	Kill	Isabella Bullington	set Gigi Navarrete	+5.6
38	20-18	NW	ALA	Kill	Addison Engel	set Hannah Parant	+3.3
39	21-18	ALA	NW	Kill	Hayley Schaaf	set Ellie Stiernagle	+4.5
40	21-19	NW	ALA	Kill	Kaleigh Palmer	set Hannah Parant	+3.3
41	22-19	ALA	NW	Serve err	Alabama		+4.8
42	22-20	NW	ALA	Kill	Addison Engel	set Kaleigh Palmer	+3.2
43	22-21	ALA	ALA	Attack err	Mara Stiglic		+6.4
44	23-21	ALA	NW	Kill	Isabella Bullington	set Drew Wright	+7.0
45	23-22	NW	ALA	Kill	Lily Gervase	set Hannah Parant	+5.0
46	24-22	ALA	NW	Kill	Clara Schramm	set Ellie Stiernagle	+8.2
47	24-23	NW	ALA	Blocked	Clara Schramm	blk Mya Allen	+4.7
48	25-23	ALA	NW	Kill	Isabella Bullington	set Ellie Stiernagle	+10.9

Score shown after each rally, Northwestern first. WP Δ = match win-probability points gained, colored by the team that gained them.“NCAA feed gap” rows mark points the NCAA play-by-play never logged (tap Why? for details).

Northwestern def. Alabama 3–1