DeKALB, IL – The Northern Illinois University volleyball team earned a split of its two-match series against the Eastern Michigan Eagles Friday afternoon with a 3-1 (25-22, 28-26, 29-31, 26-24) win at Victor E. Court.
"I'm super excited we were able to get a split at home and defend our home court," said head coach
Ray Gooden. "I think both of our teams are really continuing to try to find ways to win. We had a good second night for the first time this season and put ourselves in a spot where we could find success tonight."
Kennedy Wallace (Kansas City, Kan./Piper) led NIU with 17 kills, hitting. 364 with six digs and four blocks.
Jasmine Kemp (DeKalb, Ill./DeKalb) had 15 kills and led the Huskies with five blocks.
Kaitlyn Bell (De Soto, Kan./De Soto) added 12 kills as
Katie Jablonski (Elburn, Ill./New Hampshire) had a double-double on the day with 10 kills and 12 digs.
Samantha Juarez (Batavia, Ill./Batavia) led all players with 21 digs.
NIU (2-6, 2-6 MAC) got off to a fast start with a 5-1 run in the opening set capped by a block from Wallace and
JoDee Kovanda (Lockport, Ill./West Florida). The lead grew to six at 9-3 on back-to-back Jablonski kills. NIU led 19-13 when an Alayna Jansky kill sparked a 7-2 Eastern Michigan run that got the Eagles within two, 21-20. The Huskies hit .250 in the opening set and won it 25-22 on a Bell kill.
Eastern Michigan (1-3, 1-3 MAC) opened the second set on a 5-0 run, getting three kills from April Houston. The Eagles' lead grew to nine when a block by Jansky and Abbey Kearney put Eastern Michigan ahead 15-6. Down 19-14, NIU went on a 5-0 run to tie the set at 19 on a kill by
Grace Balensiefer (Lafayette, Ind./McCutcheon). The two sides traded points up to 26-26 when an Eagles service error and a Kemp kill put the Huskies up 2-0 in the match with a 28-26 win.
The third set was the longest of the season for NIU, featuring 23 ties and nine lead changes. Eastern Michigan took the largest lead of the set when a block by Kearney and Jansky capped a 4-0 run that put the Eagles up 16-13. NIU then won five of the next seven points with back-to-back kills from Jablonski and Bell tying the set at 18. The Eagles earned set point at 24-22 on a block by Houston and Samantha Basham. The Huskies responded with three straight points to have set point themselves at 25-24 on a Jablonski kill. NIU had set point three times but could not finish off Eastern Michigan. Down 29-28, Eastern Michigan won the last three points to win the set 31-29 and stay alive in the match.
NIU had an early 4-3 lead in the fourth but a Samantha Basham kill started a 7-1 Eagles run that put the visitors ahead 10-5. Eastern Michigan led 15-8 when a Kovanda kill parked a 4-0 NIU run that got the Huskies within three, 15-12. The Huskies used another 4-0 run later in the set to tie it at 18. NIU took back the lead at 23-22 following kills from Kemp and
Ella Mihacevich (Brunswick, Ohio/Padua Franciscan). After not converting on match point at 24-23, the Huskies took the set 26-24 and the match on a Wallace kill and a
Kennedy Shelley (Burlington, Colo./Lewis-Palmer) service ace.
The Huskies had 70 kills in the match and hit .254 to Eastern Michigan's .227. NIU also held a 9.0-8.0 edge in blocks. Franki Strefling led the Eagles with 19 kills and added 17 digs.
NIU goes on the road Feb. 18-19 to take on Ball State in a two-match series.
--NIU--
