DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University volleyball team hits the road for the final time during the regular season this weekend as the Huskies travel to the State of Michigan to face Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan. The Huskies will visit the Chippewas in Mt. Pleasant on Friday, Nov. 3, at 6 p.m. CT, before traveling south to Ypsilanti for a matchup with the Eagles on Saturday, Nov. 4, at 4 p.m. CT.

NIU enters the weekend with a 6-6 record in league play (7-20 overall) after splitting a pair of matches last week against Western Michigan and Miami. The Huskies downed the Broncos on Wednesday (Oct. 25) in four sets before falling in three to the RedHawks on Saturday (Oct. 28). 

Freshman Kaylee Martin (Sterling, Ill./Sterling) recorded 10 kills and 10 digs against Miami (Oct. 28) for her fourth consecutive double-double and seventh overall this season. In those four matches, Martin has averaged 4.43 kills, 4.86 points and 3.93 digs per set

Seven of Martin's double-doubles have come in her 11 conference matches, she currently leads the MAC in conference play in both kills per set (4.47) and points per set (4.94).

Central Michigan enters the weekend with a 13-11 overall record, including a 5-7 mark in league play. Jordan Bueter leads the Chippewas, and the MAC, in both kills per set (3.98) and points per set (4.63). Bueter also ranks third in the conference with 0.40 service aces per set. 

The Huskies won the first meeting of the season in DeKalb, 3-1, on Sept. 30. Martin had a match-high 17 kills to lead the Huskies, junior Meg Wolowicz (Manitowoc, Wis./Manitowoc Lincoln) added 15 kills and senior Anna Brereton (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie) had a match-high 18 digs. 

Eastern Michigan is currently 11-17 on the season, including 3-9 in the MAC. Kelly Ferguson ranks second in the conference in hitting percentage at .360 and is one of two Eagles, along with Samantha Falco to rank in the top-five in the league in blocks. Falco is second with 1.17 per set while Ferguson is fourth with 1.04 per set. 

In the first meeting of the year, the Eagles earned a five-set victory in DeKalb (Sept. 29) as five players reached double-figure kills and four players reached double-figure digs for Eastern Michigan. Martin tallied 18 kills and Wolowicz added 14 for the Huskies in the first meeting, freshman Miranda Karlen (Evansville, Wis./Evansville) had a match-high 21 digs. 

Following this weekend's trip to Michigan, the Huskies will return home for a pair of matches to close the regular season. NIU will host Ball State on Friday, Nov. 10, at 6 p.m., before welcoming Toledo to DeKalb for the regular season finale on Saturday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m.