Oct. 27, 2007
Final Stats
DeKalb, Ill. - In the last match of a four-match homestand, the Northern Illinois volleyball team dropped a 28-30, 30-26, 30-27, 30-27 decision to Miami. The Redhawks' record now sits at 13-8, 10-2 in Mid-American Conference action while the Huskies fall to 11-15, 5-7.
In game one, with the score knotted at 12-12, the Huskies went on a 6-1 run to take an 18-13 advantage behind two kills from junior Irene Johnson (Schaumburg, Ill. / Schaumburg). However, the RedHawks gradually chipped away at the NIU lead, tying the game, 27-27, after a Huskie attack error. The Huskies then took the match, 30-28, after two RedHawk errors and a kill by sophomore Jessica Schultz (Beaver Dam, Wis. / Beaver Dam / Kishwaukee C.C.).
In the final three games, the Huskies found themselves trailing a majority of the time, using all their effort to get even, but not having enough left to get past Miami.
"Unfortunately, it was a roller coaster ride tonight," said NIU head coach Ray Gooden. "We played solid in game one and maintained when we needed to. In the rest of the games though, we were riding too many lows and highs to win games. We did battled back each time, which is good, but not good enough to be successful against teams of Miami's caliber."
Miami opened game two with a 12-3 advantage. The Huskies were able to slowly narrow the deficit, getting as close as 27-25 after a Johnson kill and a pair of Miami errors, but the RedHawks were still able to close out the game, 30-26.
The RedHawks jumped out to an 11-4 lead in game three. Again, NIU was able to eventually cut the lead down and tied the score, 27-27, after a Schultz kill and a Miami error. Yet again, the RedHawks finished the game, 30-27, using three straight kills.
In game four, both teams went back and forth, exchanging leads frequently until Miami went on a 3-0 run with the score tied at 17-17 to take a 20-17 lead following a Carli Reihman kill and a pair of Huskie errors. NIU then chipped away at the lead, eventually taking a 26-25 lead after back-to-back kills from senior Laura Baetzel (Chicago, Ill. / Burbank Queen of Peace). Both teams exchanged kills before Miami went on a 4-0 run to end the match, 30-27.
For NIU, Baetzel tallied a team-high 21 kills as three other Huskies totaled double-digit kills. Sophomore Meagan Schoenrock (Sylvania, Ohio / Northview) added 13 kills, Johnson added 11 and sophomore Cassie Yates (LaPorte, Ind. / LaPorte) added 10. Senior Mandi Caputo (Chicago, Ill. / Immaculate Heart of Mary / DePaul) registered a double-double with 57 assists and 10 digs and freshman Maddie Hughes (St. Charles, Ill. / North) notched a team-high 27 digs.
Miami was led by Emily Schroeder's 22 kills and 10 digs. Reihman totaled 16 digs for the RedHawk offense along with 10 digs. Andrea Atteberry also notched a double-double with 57 assists and 16 digs. Melissa Zenz tallied a team-high 17 kills for the Miami defense.
NIU returns to action on Friday, November 2 at 7 p.m. when the Huskies take on Eastern Michigan in Ypsilanti, Mich.
-NIU
