ATHENS, Ohio – Led by a career-high 21 kills, senior Jenna Radtke (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Stevenson) rallied the NIU volleyball team (17-4, 9-0 MAC) to its 12th-straight victory after a five-set triumph at Ohio (10-11, 6-3 MAC), 25-20, 25-23, 18-25, 17-25, 15-9.

It was the second-consecutive match that Radtke has recorded a career-high in kills. She also hit .633 in the match while registering five blocks. Defensively, Anna Brereton (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie) recorded a season-best 25 digs in the contest. Chandley Kinley (Lexington, Ky./Lafayette) totaled 32 assists and 13 digs for her fifth career double-double.

"Tonight was great theater and we did a great job of winning the right points and the second set was indicative of that," said Head Coach Ray Gooden after leading NIU to its second win in Athens in his tenure. "After the break, Ohio grabbed the momentum and defended their home court. We battled in parts of the fourth set but we did a great job of capitalizing at the end to earn a great road win."

After controlling early and trading blows with the Bobcats in the middle goings of the frame, the Huskies closed the first set strong with both teams tied, 19-19. After Taylor Krage (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North) gave NIU the lead back with a kill, the junior served two more points to force an OU timeout.

Though the Bobcats took the next point, a scramble kill by Radtke put serve back in the Huskies hands who took the frame, 25-20. Radtke was a perfect 5-for-5 offensively to start the match.

With both teams slugging back and forth in the second stanza, exchanging 11 ties and four lead changes up until a 23-23 tie, Mary Grace Kelly's (Strongsville, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) service ace – the Huskies first of the match – gave NIU set point at 24-23. Bri Horwath (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater Area) finished off the stanza to give the Huskies a two-set advantage.

Radtke opened the match 8-for-10 on the attack while the team hit a staggering .369 in the first two sets. Ohio had the upper hand in the third set, outhitting the Huskies, .316-.229, to force a fourth set with the triumph, 25-18. The Bobcats' Mallory Salis totaled 20 kills.

After Ohio won the fourth set, 25-17, the Huskies came out as the aggressor in the final set, led by Radtke.

"Jenna knew she had to step up at times throughout the match but she made some critical plays for us in the fifth set. She made some key plays but she did a great job of helping us in our transition to create some offense," added Gooden.

NIU led at the turn, 8-7, and once again finished efficiently as it outscored Ohio 7-2 to clinch the match, 15-9. Radtke finished with a Huskie-best six kills in the stanza in seven attempts with one error. NIU hit .476 in the set and out-dug the Bobcats, 14-6. The Huskies finished with 77 digs while Ohio totaled 69.

Northern Illinois University will close the weekend tomorrow afternoon at Kent State. First serve is set for 5 p.m.