In a season that started with so much promise, Northwestern has slowly watched its postseason hopes slip away.
When the Wildcats started their 2022 volleyball season 11-1, there was widespread belief that Shane Davis’ team, in his seventh year at the helm, could finally compete against the grueling Big Ten that saw eight teams reach the Big Dance in 2021. After a 6-6 start in conference play highlighted by 3-2 upset wins over No. 7 Minnesota and No. 12 Purdue, those hopes certainly seemed justified. However, a six-game skid over the past three weeks brought those aspirations to a screeching halt as the season’s final week approaches.