DeKALB - A 10-2 start in the opening period by the NIU volleyball team Friday night set the tone for the Huskies (13-4, 5-0 MAC) offense as they hit .402 against Ball State (7-12, 3-2 MAC), defeating the Cardinals, 25-13, 25-21, 25-11. As a team, Northern Illinois University also recorded a season-high 12 service aces.

Seniors Mary Grace Kelly (Strongsville, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) and Lauren Zielinski (Oak Forest, Ill./Marist) both hit over .500 in the match as Kelly totaled 15 kills with a career-best .538 clip and Zielinski hit .545. Jenna Radtke (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Stevenson) served a career-best five aces.

Head Coach Ray Gooden knew that energy was a key to the match for NIU and praised the team's ability to start.

"We needed to come out with energy because Ball State is a really good team and they've been playing very well lately. We (came out with good energy) and I thought we did a really nice job of that. I thought our serve and our pass really helped us out and that led to our offense," said Gooden. "We did a good job of attacking the ball with some range and playing smart volleyball."

Putting the Huskies on the right track to start the match, Taylor Krage (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North) served five-straight points which led to the Huskies 10-2 edge. NIU continued to build their lead and forced a second BSU timeout with two aces by Kelly, 16-5.

Sam Boever's service closed out the frame as she served four points, including two aces to clinch the set, 25-13. The Huskies closed with a season-best seven aces in the opening stanza.

Ball State responded with vigor in the second set, leading by as much as five points late in the set, 17-13. With strong service from Anna Brereton (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie), the Huskies mounted a six-point rally to reclaim the lead, 21-18, and eventually the stanza, 25-21.

Brereton's service came through again in the third set, charging the Huskies to an eight-point run and a 19-7 lead. While Brereton closed the match, Radtke rallied Northern Illinois University on the front end, notching three aces to build a 9-2 lead. After exchanging blows in the final games of the set, the Huskies would take the final frame, 25-11.

The Huskies will return to action Saturday night, hosting Toledo at Victor E. Court. The match is slated to start at 7 p.m. Central.