EUGENE, Ore. – Freshman Jori Radtke (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Stevenson) recorded a team-high 10 kills as the Northern Illinois University volleyball team fell to Texas Rio Grande Valley, 25-19, 25-19, 25-18, on Friday afternoon (Sept. 1) at the Oregon Classic. 

Junior Meg Wolowicz (Manitowoc, Wis./Manitowoc Lincoln) hit a team-high .333 with six kills and just one error. 

NIU (0-6) led 10-8 in the opening set until six-straight points gave UTRGV a four-point advantage. The Huskies trimmed the Vaqueros lead back to a pair but were unable to regain the lead as UTRGV took the opening set, 25-19. The Vaqueros hit .308 in the opening set and were led by five kills each from Rangi Steen Knudsen and Barbara Silva.

Set number two was tied, 9-9, before UTRGV scored four-straight points to take a 13-9 lead. The Huskies and Vaqueros then traded points until UTRGV scored five of six to take a 22-15 advantage. The Vaqueros would go on to win the set, 25-19. UTRGV hit .314 in set number two, posting 17 kills as a team for the second consecutive set. 

An 8-2 run early in the third set helped give UTRGV an 11-5 lead. The Huskies chipped away at the Vaqueros lead and were within three points, 20-17, but UTRGV closed the set with a 5-1 run to take the set, 25-18, and win the match. The Vaqueros hit .341 in the third set with 17 more kills; Knudsen tallied eight kills in the final set, hitting .400.

Knudsen finished the match with 17 kills, hitting .452 with just three errors. Silva added 12 kills while Bojana Mitrovic was the third Vaquero with double-figure kills at 11. Debora Nazario tallied 46 assists for UTRGV while Mitrovic and Gysell Zayas each recorded 13 digs. 

NIU returns to action on Saturday, Sept. 2, when the Huskies face No. 14 Oregon to close out the Oregon Classic. First serve is scheduled for 2 p.m.