March 14, 2006

Peoria, IL - Despite a furious rally and a match-point in the fourth game, the Northern Illinois University volleyball team fell short, as Belmont came away with the 30-26, 22-30, 30-22, 32-30 victory over NIU in the Huskies' second match of the Radisson Hotel Invitational, hosted by Bradley University, at the Robertson Memorial Field House on Friday evening.

NIU junior middle blocker Kate McCullagh topped the Huskies with a match-high, 23 kills, and finished with a hitting percentage of .308 (23 kills, 7 errors, 52 attacks). Huskies' setter Jenny Dziubla posted a double-double of 41 assists and 10 digs, while libero Gina Guide added a match-high, 23 digs.

With the victory, Belmont improves to 6-3 on the season, while the Huskies drop to 5-4 on the campaign.

Belmont used an all-around attack to tame the Huskies, as four different players garnered double-digit kills on the evening. The Bruins were led offensively by Lindsay Cleveland's 19 kills, followed by Katie Tobiasz (15 kills), Jaye Schuler (10 kills) and Erin Janson (10 kills, 13 digs).

Belmont took a 2-1 lead over the Huskies heading into the fourth game, and seemed in control of the contest, after they held a 27-22 advantage over NIU, following a McCullagh hitting error.

The Huskies, however, would not go away quietly as they eight of the next 10 points, paved the way by three Belmont miscues and a pair of kills and a block assist by McCullagh, to give NIU the 30-29 lead.

The Bruins answered in kind, scoring three straight points behind solo blocks from Sara Jacobson and Janson, along with a kill from Brittany Card for the 32-30 triumph.

NIU will be back in action on Saturday morning, as they will take on Southeast Missouri State at 11:30 a.m.

###NIU###