DeKALB, IL – The Northern Illinois University volleyball team took a big step in getting into the Mid-American Conference Tournament Friday night with a 3-0 (25-22, 25-17, 25-19) sweep of the Kent State Golden Flashes at Victor E. Court.
 
"We did a good job settling down and playing good volleyball," said head coach Ray Gooden following Friday's victory. "We were able to take advantage of some opportunities and did a good job responding to every challenge Kent State put in front of us."
 
With the win, the Huskies moved into a tie with the Golden Flashes for the sixth and final MAC Tournament berth and hold the tiebreaker between the two teams. NIU held Kent State to a .158 hitting percentage, bolstered by a 70-58 advantage in digs. Reigning MAC West Defensive Player of the Week Francesca Bertucci (Chicago, Ill./De La Salle) led all players with 26 digs and tied a season-high with four service aces. Senior Miranda Karlen (Evansville, Wis./Evansville) added 13 digs with Katie Jablonski (Elburn, Ill./New Hampshire) posting 10 to go with eight kills.
 
Offensively, Ella Mihacevich (Brunswick, Ohio/Padua Franciscan) and Nikolette Nedic (Willowbrook, Ill./Hinsdale Central) led the Huskies with 10 kills each. Mihacevich led all players by hitting .381 on the night. Grace Balensiefer (Lafayette, Ind./McCutcheon) dished out 33 assists and added seven digs.
 
Kent State (10-14, 5-7 MAC) used a 4-1 run to control the opening set, eventually taking an 18-14 lead. A Jablonski kill sparked a 7-1 NIU run, highlighted by aces from Bertucci and Mihacevich, to take a 21-19 lead. The Huskies grew to lead to three at 23-20 on Nedic's fourth kill of the set. NIU won the set 25-22 on a Kent State service error. The Huskies held Kent State to a .162 hitting mark and had three blocks to the Golden Flashes' zero.
 
"We needed to stay stable the entire time," Gooden said about the opening set. "Kent State started up early but we were able to make a run late. From 18 on we were playing solid and confidence just built up from there."
 
NIU (11-11, 5-7 MAC) was the team to grab the early lead in set two. A Bertucci ace and a Jablonski kill helped put the Huskies up 4-1. Kent State got within one at 4-3 on a Jacqlyn Caspers bock and a Taylor Heberle kill. The Huskies pulled away by winning the next six points as back-to-back kills from Atiemo and Balensiefer put NIU ahead 10-3. Nedic gave the Huskies their largest lead of the set when her back-to-back kills made the score 15-6. The Golden Flashes rallied back to within four, winning six of the next seven points to make the score 16-12 on a block by Caspers and Morgan Copley. NIU put the lead back up to seven at 20-13 with a 4-1 run. Kent State got within five, but the Huskies took the final three points on kills from Balensiefer, Mihacevich and Nedic to win it 25-17 and take a 2-0 lead.
 
The Huskies ran off four straight points early in the third to take a 7-3 lead on a Nedic kill. Ahead 8-6, NIU went on a 6-1 run that included four Mihacevich kills to go ahead 15-7. Samantha Juarez (Batavia, Ill./Batavia) capped the run with an ace, one of nine for the Huskies on the night. Kent State cut the NIU lead in half at 17-13 on two kills from Copley. NIU put the lead back up to seven when a Juarez kill and a Bertucci ace gave the Huskies set and match point at 24-17. The Golden Flashes fought off two match points but Mihacevich's 10^th kill of the night put the match away 25-19 and 3-0.
 
"It was nice for us to win in three so we can take care of our bodies, but we've got another team coming in tomorrow with a whole different style but the same desire to try and get a win," Gooden said about Saturday's opponent Ohio. "We're trying to do the same thing and play hard and defend home. We need to be able to put two good days together."
 
The Huskies and Bobcats have first serve at 6 p.m. Saturday night. Tickets are available at NIUHuskies.com/MyHuskies and at the NIU Athletics Box Office. The match will also be available on ESPN3.
 
--NIU--