DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University volleyball team will continue its four-match homestand on Wednesday night, Oct. 25, as the Huskies host Western Michigan. Wednesday night is Diversity Night at Victor E. Court and first serve against the Broncos is scheduled for 7 p.m., the match will be available on ESPN3.

NIU (6-19, 5-5 MAC) is coming off a weekend split against Ohio and Kent State. NIU's opening set on Saturday night (Oct. 21) was tied for the third-longest in NCAA Division I during the 25-point era (2008-present) as the Huskies upended Kent State, 43-41, on its way to a three-set sweep over the Golden Flashes. 

In the first set alone, the Huskies recorded 23 kills and eight blocks, with nine kills from freshman Kaylee Martin (Sterling, Ill./Sterling) and five blocks from junior Chrystal McAlpin (Calumet Park, Ill./Shepard). Senior Anna Brereton (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie) had 11 digs in the set and senior Chandler Kinley (Lexington, Ky./Lafayette) had 21 assists. NIU finally took the set with a solo block from junior Meg Wolowicz (Manitowoc, Wis./Manitowoc Lincoln), followed by a block from Wolowicz and sophomore Brinley Milbrath (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/John F. Kennedy). 

Kinley and Martin each recorded double-doubles against Kent State. Kinley recorded 48 assists and 14 digs for her seventh double-double of the season while Martin posted 13 kills and 22 digs for her sixth double-double of the year. 

Western Michigan comes to DeKalb with a 14-7 overall record, including a 7-3 mark in conference play to lead the MAC West. The Broncos lead the MAC in both kills, with 13.57 per set, and opponent hitting percentage, holding foes to just .162 hitting. Mary Murphy ranks second in the league in assists with 10.70 per set while a pair of Broncos rank in the top-10 in kills per set as Rachel Bontrager is ninth (3.28 per set) and Sydney Lemay is 10th (3.05 per set). 

The Broncos won the first match between the two schools earlier this season in Kalamazoo (Sept. 21), three of the four sets were decided by three points or less. 

NIU will conclude its homestand on Saturday night, Oct. 28, when the Huskies host Miami (Ohio) at 7 p.m., on ESPN3.