CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The Northern Illinois University volleyball team began its four-match stretch against opponents from the State of Iowa on Tuesday night (Sept. 5), falling to Northern Iowa, 25-14, 25-16, 25-21 at the McLeod Center. Freshman Kaylee Martin (Sterling, Ill./Sterling) led the Huskies with 10 kills. 

"Credit to Northern Iowa tonight, I feel like they won more of the longer, tough rallies, but we definitely showed signs of improvement, especially in the third set," said NIU head coach Ray Gooden. "We are playing good teams and we aren't getting the chance to train it, we are having to do it on the job. 

"Kaylee Martin had better rhythm tonight, Miranda Karlen came in and did a real nice job in the back row and our setters had more variety in their offense. What it comes down to is executing consistently and, while we are improving, it still isn't up to this level with the quality of the teams we are competing against."

Northern Iowa (5-2) raced out to a 7-1 start in the opening set. The Huskies and Panthers then played the majority of the rest of the set even until Northern Iowa closed the set with a 5-0 run to take the set, 25-14. The Panthers hit .308 in the opening set with 17 kills, led by four kills each from Bri Weber and Piper Thomas.

In the second set, Northern Iowa led by three, 12-9, until the Panthers used a 5-0 run to push its lead to eight. NIU (0-8) answered with the next four point to cut the Northern Iowa lead in half, but the Huskies were unable to get any closer in the set, falling 25-16.

Martin recorded seven kills in the set for the Huskies, hitting .375, Weber and Heather Hook each tallied four kills to pace Northern Iowa. 

The third set went back-and-forth with neither team able to lead by more than three until a 4-1 run gave Northern Iowa a 22-17 advantage. NIU responded with a 3-0 burst to cut the Panther lead back to just a pair, 22-20, but the Panthers scored three of the next four points to close out the set, 25-21. 

Weber posted seven kills in the final set to finish with a match-high 15; Hook recorded 32 assists for the Panthers while Kendyl Sorge had a match-high 18 digs. 

Junior Chrystal McAlpin (Calumet Park, Ill./Shepard) posted five kills while hitting .500 for NIU; senior Anna Brereton (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie) led the Huskies with 13 digs. 

NIU will return to action this weekend as the Huskies travel to Iowa City for the Iowa Invitational. NIU will meet Iowa on Friday, Sept. 8 at 1 p.m., before matching up with No. 22 Iowa State on Saturday, Sept. 9 at 1 p.m. The Huskies and Hawkeyes will then meet for a second time on Saturday, Sept. 9, at 7 p.m.