DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University volleyball team dropped a four-set match to the Chicago State Cougars 3-1 (25-18, 21-25, 22-25, 23-25) at Victor E. Court Tuesday night. Senior Meg Wolowicz (Manitowoc, Wis./Manitowoc Lincoln) led the match with a career-high 30 kills while hitting .352.
 
"Personally, it's really exciting but I think that more things need to come together for us as a team," said Wolowicz on her new career-high. "It's frustrating that our record is what it is, but we have to learn from these experiences and this type of situation where we could have won tonight and didn't."
 
Jori Radtke (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Stevenson) had her third double-double of the season Tuesday night. The sophomore outside hitter set a career-high with 19 digs and tied a career-high with 17 kills. Both of NIU's setters also had double-doubles in the match. Grace Balensiefer (Lafayette, Ind./McCutchen) had her fourth in the last six matches with a career-high 34 assists to go with 12 digs. Amanda Krahl (Pearland, Texas/Appalachian State) added 15 assists and 11 digs.
 
Chicago State (6-6) opened the match on a 6-1 run highlighted by aces from Lacee Adams and Lauryn Dela Cruz. NIU used a 5-1 run of its own to get within one at 7-6 on a kill by Amanda Rullan Vilanova (Bayamon, Puerto Rico/Savannah State). The Huskies trailed 12-8 win a Radtke kill sparked an 8-1 run that put NIU in the lead 16-13. Wolowicz had three kills during that spurt as well. The lead grew to six at 22-16 as Wolowicz followed up a kill with an ace. The Huskies took the set 25-18 on a Radtke kill. The duo of Wolowicz and Radtke combined for 16 of NIU's 18 kills in the opening set as the Huskies hit .342 in the frame.
 
NIU (2-9) took advantage of some Cougars miscues to take a 4-2 lead in the second set. Chicago State came back to tie the set 8-8 on a pair of Dela Cruz kills and the two sides traded points up to 13-13. The Cougars won four of the next five points to take a 17-14 lead. Chicago State led by four at 21-17 after a Summer Farris kill that prompted an NIU timeout. The Huskies responded with three straight points, as a Miranda Karlen (Evanvsille, Wis./Evansville) ace made the score 21-20 which led to a Chicago State timeout. The Cougars closed the set on a 4-1 run with a Ludmila Bomfim ace to the backline giving Chicago State the set 25-21 and leveling the match at one set all.
 
The Huskies broke a 7-7 tie in the third set with kills by Wolowicz and Radtke to take a 10-7 lead. NIU grew its lead to four at 15-11 on a Chrystal McAlpin (Calumet Park, Ill./Shepard) solo block. After a Radtke kill made the score 16-12, the Cougars won four straight points to tie the set 16-16. NIU grew the lead to two at 19-17 after a Wolowicz kill and a block by Jasmine Kemp (DeKalb, Ill./DeKalb) and Kennedy Wallace (Kansas City, Kan./Piper). The Cougars tied the set 20-20 on a kill by Kirah Williams-Shephard. After Radtke tied the set 22-22, Chicago State took the final three points as a Beatriz Palmieri ace gave the Cougars the set 25-22 and a 2-1 lead in the match.
 
Chicago State rode the momentum into the fourth set, taking a quick 4-1 lead. NIU took its first lead of the set at 6-5 after three Wolowicz kills. The Cougars quickly took the lead back with a 4-1 run as a Dela Cruz kill made the score 9-7. The Huskies tied the set 10-10 on a block by McAlpin and Radtke. Chicago State broke a 12-12 tie with kills by Palmieri and Williams-Shepherd to take a 14-12 lead. NIU hung in the set and tied it at 20-20 on a Wolowicz kill. The two teams traded points up to 22-22, when an NIU error and a kill by Gabby Pearl gave Chicago State match point at 24-22. The Huskies fought off one match point, but Dela Cruz put down a kill at 24-23 to give the Cougars the set 25-23 and the match 3-1.
 
"We knew it was going to be a tough match," said head coach Ray Gooden. "We did a good job in the first set handling some situations. We got in some tight spots late and Chicago State was able to pull it out in the end. We have to regroup really fast and get ready for tomorrow."
 
NIU hit a season-high .251 in the match, holding Chicago State to .203. The Huskies held a 7-5 advantage in blocks and an 82-80 edge in digs. Dela Cruz led the Cougars with 21 kills and added 18 digs. Palmieri had 18 kills and 18 digs.
 
"The biggest thing for us it that there are so many lessons we're learning the hard way," Gooden added. "We have to understand what it takes to compete and battle. There are times when we have good moments and are doing alright, and there are other things that we need to continue to work on and build to get better."
 
The Huskies are back in action on Wednesday night when Southeast Missouri State comes to Victor E. Court for a 6 p.m. match that will be broadcast on ESPN+.
 
--NIU--