TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Northern Illinois University volleyball team wrapped up the Hampton Inn Bama Bash on Saturday afternoon with a 3-0 (18-25, 22-25, 12-25) loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide at Foster Auditorium.
 
"It was our first chance to play for a title this season," said head coach Ray Gooden following Saturday's match. "We had moments where we did some good things and some moments where we're learning and playing our way through."
 
Meg Wolowicz (Manitowoc, Wis./Manitowoc Lincoln) led NIU with 10 kills and added nine digs. Jori Radtke (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Stevenson) had six kills and 10 digs. Miranda Karlen (Evansville, Wis./Evansville) also had 10 digs.
 
"Meg continues to understand how to play the position, and help not only herself but the team," Gooden added about the senior who had double-digit kills in all three matches this weekend.
 
Alabama (9-0) opened the match on a 4-0 run, highlighted by a pair of Mahalia Swink kills. NIU responded with a 5-1 run capped by an Amanda Rullan Vilanova (Bayamon, Puerto Rico/Savannah State) to take an 8-7 lead. With the set tied 10-10, the Crimson Tide used a Ginger Perinar kill to go on a four-point run to take a 14-10 lead. The Huskies got within three at 16-13, but that was as close as NIU would get. Alabama took the set 25-18 on a block by Swink and Cidavia Hall.
 
NIU (2-8) and Alabama traded points to start the second set, as a Grace Balensiefer ace tied it at 8-8. The Crimson Tide used a 4-0 run to take a 14-10 lead on an ace by Meghan Neelon. The Huskies got within one at 14-13 on kills by Wolowicz and Kennedy Wallace (Kansas City, Kan./Piper), but Alabama put the lead back to four at 17-13. NIU came back to tie the set at 22-22 on a block by McAlpin and Wallace. Alabama took back the lead at 23-22 on a Perinar kill and rolled to a 25-22 win in the set on a Swink kill. The Crimson Tide jumped out to a 10-3 lead in the third and didn't look back, winning 25-12 to win the match 3-0.
 
The Huskies were held to a .082 hitting percentage Saturday, but were even with the Crimson Tide in blocks 7-7. Perinar led Alabama with 12 kils as Swink added 11.
 
"There are a lot of positives from this weekend," said Gooden. "We did a lot of good things and we're taking good steps forward. We need to keep fighting to see it in the win-loss column."
 
The Huskies return to Victor E. Court on Tuesday night to host Chicago State at 7 p.m. The game will be shown on ESPN+.