DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University volleyball team hits the road for the first time this season this weekend, travelling to Alabama for the Hampton Inn Bama Bash. The Huskies take on Georgia Tech Friday at 12 p.m., followed by a 5 p.m. match against Marshall. NIU closes the tournament against the host Crimson Tide on Saturday at 1 p.m.
 
"The routine, for the most part, stays the same," said head coach Ray Gooden on his team's first road trip of 2018. "The idea of still playing good, consistent volleyball is still there. It's just how to manage it in different environments."
 
While NIU went 1-6 on its season-opening homestand, the Huskies were competitive in their losses. The Huskies have dropped 12 sets in which they reached 20 points. NIU is also 3-8 in sets decided by three points or less. With a relatively young team, Gooden sees how competitive and close NIU has been in turning the record around.
 
"We're in a lot of matches," Gooden said. "It's now just continuing to have the same mindset up to 20 so we can finish from 20 on."
 
A highlight of the Huskies' season so far has been the play at the service line. NIU is among the top 40 teams in the country in aces with 42. Individually, libero Miranda Karlen (Evansville, Wis./Evansville) is 22^nd in the nation with 13 aces. Karlen had nine last week including a career-high five against Northern Kentucky on Sept. 1. She also had a career-high 31 digs and eight assists in the five-set match against the Norse.
 
"The more proficient we are with our serving the more we can use our block, which has been a strength for us," said Gooden. "Our players' 'A' serve is a serve that can help our team find success, not only with our block but our transition as well."
 
The NIU offense has been paced by Meg Wolowicz (Manitowoc, Wis./Manitowoc Lincoln) and Jori Radtke (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Stevenson) in the early part of this 2018 season. Wolowicz is third in the Mid-American Conference with 3.42 kills per set and had her second double-double of the season on Sept. 1 with 16 kills and a career-high 20 digs against Northern Kentucky. Radtke is eighth in the MAC with 3.11 kills per set. She also had a double-double against Northern Kentucky, setting career-highs with 17 kills and 13 digs.
 
NIU will face Georgia Tech, Marshall, and the host Crimson Tide this weekend in Tuscaloosa. The Yellow Jackets enter the weekend 8-0, going 4-0 in its home tournament last weekend against Alabama State, Wofford, South Alabama, and Tulane. Marshall moved to 4-4 on the year with a 3-1 win over Ohio on Wednesday night. Alabama is 6-0 after winning all three of its matches last weekend at Navy's Kristen Dickmann Invitational.
 
"Georgia Tech is physical, especially on the outside, and do a real nice job putting teams under pressure," said Gooden. "Marshall is a fiery defensive team. Alabama is playing some good volleyball right now, and they're going to use that confidence playing on their home floor this weekend. We have three different styles that we're going to have to work hard on to stay consistent just to be in those matches and have a chance to be successful."
 
--NIU--