DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University volleyball team was unable to overcome a hot-hitting Cal Poly squad that hit .360 for the match as the Mustangs downed the Huskies, 25-12, 25-14, 25-23, on Saturday night in the final match of the NIU Holiday Inn Express Invitational at Victor E. Court. 

"I thought that we needed to start a little faster at the beginning of the match," said NIU head coach Ray Gooden. "When we came back after the break I thought we played much better, I thought we had more positive stretches and I thought that was a good thing for our group. We just got caught in one rotation, if we eliminate that, I think we are able to play a fourth set."

Freshman Kaylee Martin (Sterling, Ill./Sterling) recorded a team-high nine kills for NIU, hitting .389, while junior Meg Wolowicz (Manitowoc, Wis./Manitowoc Lincoln) added seven kills. Wolowicz was named to the NIU Holiday Inn Express Invitational All-Tournament Team. 

In the opening set, Cal Poly (3-0) jumped out to a 14-4 lead, aided by seven aces. The Mustangs would go on to record eight total aces in the set and Adlee Van Winden posted five kills as Cal Poly claimed the early lead with a 25-12 first set win. 

Set number two was deadlocked, 6-6, before a 7-0 run for Cal Poly gave the Mustangs a 13-6 advantage. Cal Poly hit .500 in the second set with 18 kills to win the set 25-14 and take a 2-0 lead into the intermission. NIU was led in the second set by Martin's five kills and .444 hitting percentage. 

NIU (0-3) got off to a good start after the break, leading the third set 12-6. Freshman Jori Radtke (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Stevenson) had a pair of aces during the quick start for the Huskies. Cal Poly answered with 10 consecutive points as the Mustangs claimed a 16-12 lead. Late in the set, NIU pulled within a point twice, 23-22 and 24-23, but was unable to pull even as they fell, 25-23. 

The Huskies will have a quick turnaround at they travel to Milwaukee on Monday night (Aug. 28) to play the Panthers. Game time is scheduled for 6 p.m., and will be available on ESPN3. 

"It's good for us to get the chance to play right away," said Gooden. "We get to continue to improve. The exhibition match against DePaul helped us understand how to play on the road. We are going to play against a pretty hungry Milwaukee team, at their place, we will be excited to play and to get better."


NIU Holiday Inn Express Invitational All-Tournament Team
Adlee Van Winden, Cal Poly (MVP)
Torrey Van Winden, Cal Poly
Taylor Nelson, Cal Poly
Jane Emmenecker, Dayton
Kendyll Brown, Dayton
Jenna Smith, High Point
Meg Wolowicz, NIU