Final Stats

DeKALB - Working to erase a defeat to Alabama last night, the NIU volleyball team (4-7) took top-25 bubble team Western Kentucky (12-2) to five sets, it’s first such match of the season. Leading 2-1 in the fourth set, the Huskies defense worked to hang on and grind the victory out but the Hilltoppers prevailed over NIU, 23-25, 25-12, 17-25, 25-17, 15-7.

T'ara Austin (Joliet, Ill./Joliet Central) led the Northern Illinois University attack, totaling 19 kills while collecting 13 digs for her second double-double of the season. Anna Brereton (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie) totaled 17 digs in the match while Meg Wolowicz (Manitowoc, Wis./Manitowoc) recorded a season-high in kills for the second-straight match with 11. Lauren Zielinski (Oak Forest, Ill./Marist) finished with 14 kills.

After ending the first set with vigor, starting a 4-0 run with WKU serving for set point,   that same energy carried into the next stanza as NIU opened the set with a 16-6 lead. The Huskies won several long rallies to control the momentum in the period and eventually claimed the set, 25-12, forcing the Hilltoppers to hit .000 and make nine errors in the period.

The Huskies won the third set to take a 2-1 lead in the match, 25-17, as Northern Illinois University ran away with the set late, rallying with strong defensive play. Brereton came up with two well controlled and high-flying digs in the frame on powerful attacks from Alyssa Cavanaugh that continued NIU rallies and eventually led to two Huskie points.

Western Kentucky answered back in the fourth set, opening the frame with an 8-0 lead. NIU responded with a run of its own, taking 11 of the next 18 points in the frame. The Hilltoppers won the fourth set, 25-17, pitting NIU into its first five set match of the season.

NIU broke serve in the sixth game in the fifth set on a WKU error, trailing 5-0, and slowly began chipping away at the deficit as it climbed back within two points, 6-4. Western Kentucky forced the turn, winning the next two points. The Huskies comeback didn’t move much closer, however, as the Hilltoppers clinched the set and the match, 15-7.

Led by Brereton, the Huskies were stellar in the backline as they finished the game with a .988 receiving percentage, surrendering only one service ace. Chandler Kinley (Lexington, Ky./Lafayette) and Austin both had 13 digs while Alexis Gonzalez (Fresno, Calif./Bullard) also pulled in 10 digs, finishing the match with a double-double as she also tallied 43 assists.

Western Kentucky finished 29 points shy of a top-25 ranking in the AVCA Coaches Poll this past week.

NIU will close the Huskie Invitational later tonight as it hosts Northern Iowa. First serve is set for 7:30 p.m.