Final Stats

DeKALB - NIU closed its opening weekend of conference play undefeated as the Huskies (6-8, 2-0 MAC) swept Eastern Michigan (8-7, 0-2 MAC) in three sets, 25-19, 25-20, 25-19. The Huskies 2-0 start in the Mid-American Conference marks the second-straight season that NIU has started conference play undefeated.

“It’s important to have good starts (in conference), especially in the MAC West. The West is always tough and competitive, so for us to take advantage of our home schedule and to do some really positive things is really nice for our group and I’m proud of what we’ve done this weekend,” said Head Coach Ray Gooden.

T'ara Austin (Joliet, Ill./Joliet Central) led the Huskies in kills with 16 while accumulating nine digs and two solo blocks. Alexis Gonzalez (Fresno, Calif./Bullard) dished 40 assists in the three set triumph while racking up three kills, two aces and four blocks assisted. Meg Wolowicz (Manitowoc, Wis./Manitowoc) registered 10 kills (.500) with three blocks assisted while Lauren Zielinski (Oak Park, Ill./Marist) had eight kills, three service aces and two blocks assisted.

“It was nice to see our group defending the home court. We did some nice things in our passing and our serving, and keeping Eastern Michigan under pressure. It was nice for us to get some touches on the block and come away with points on some of the long rallies,” Gooden added.

Wolowicz and Austin paced the NIU offense in the opening stanza as they totaled four kills while Malia Gabel (Pinckney, Mich./Father Gabriel Richard) and Zielinski each registered service aces. After the Eagles won the initial point of the stanza, NIU tied the match and gained the lead, never looking back en route to 25-19 triumph.

After hitting .184 in the opening set, the Huskies offense exploded for 15 kills with only two errors to complete the frame with a hitting percentage of .448 as Wolowicz and Zielinski attacked with precision, totaling three kills each in eight combined attempts. Northern Illinois University had its best service of the night in the set as it totaled three aces, two by Gonzalez and another from Zielinski.

Austin posted six kills in the second and third frames as the Huskies clinched the sets, 25-20 and 25-19, respectively.

Defensively, NIU was aggressive in the first two periods, totaling three blocks in the first and four in the second set. The Huskies outdug the Eagles in the third set, 17-7, paced by Gabel’s five in the frame.

Anna Brereton (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie) finished the night with 12 digs to lead all players in the match, adding one service ace. Zielinski’s three service aces in the match were a new career-high as she entered the contest with four in her career.

NIU will return to action next weekend with a match at Ball State on Friday and another at Toledo on Saturday. Both contests will be aired on ESPN3.