DeKALB, IL – The Northern Illinois University volleyball team had it's four-match winning streak snapped Friday night in a 3-0 (22-25, 21-25, 15-25) loss to the Miami RedHawks at Victor E. Court.
"We knew Miami was going to come out and play hard and they played really hard," said head coach
Ray Gooden. "We made some adjustments like they made some adjustments and they were just able to execute their style of play more and for longer than we were able to tonight."
Katie Jablonski (Elburn, Ill./New Hampshire) led the Huskies on the night with eight kills and 10 digs, adding three blocks.
JoDee Kovanda (Lockport, Ill./West Florida) hit .333 with six kills.
Kennedy Wallace (Kansas City, Kan./Piper) had five kills and five blocks, hitting .364 for the match.
NIU (5-7, 5-7 MAC) rallied out of an early first set deficit to tie it at six on a block by Jablonski and
Jasmine Kemp (DeKalb, Ill./DeKalb). Miami took back the lead on a Lindsay Taylor kill and a block by Morgan Seaman and Maggie McCrary to make the score 8-6. The RedHawks led 10-9 when a McCrary kill sparked a 5-1 Miami run that gave the visitors a 15-10 lead. The Huskies closed within one at 16-15 but an NIU error and a Seaman kill gave Miami an 18-16 lead. Miami earned set point at 24-20 on a kill from Avarie Powell. NIU fought off two set points on a service error and a block by Wallace and Jablonski to make the score 24-22. The RedHawks took the set 25-22 on Sophie Riemersma's fifth kill of the match.
The Huskies took a quick 5-1 lead in the second set behind a pair of Jablonski kills and two
Grace Balensiefer (Lafayette, Ind./McCutcheon) aces. Miami (5-5, 5-5 MAC) responded with a 6-0 run capped by a Taylor kill to take a 7-5 lead. The RedHawks' lead grew to five points at 13-8 on a Powell kill. NIU then won the next three points to get within two, 13-11. Miami got back up by five at 19-14 on a block by Powell and Sarah Wojick. NIU won four of the next six points to get within three at 21-18, prompting a Miami timeout. The Huskies got as close as two at 23-21 following a block by Wallace and Balensiefer but Miami closed the set with kills from Taylor and Wojick to win it 25-21 and take a 2-0 lead in the match.
Miami got off to a 6-2 lead in the third set on kills from Wojick, McCrary and Riemersma. NIU won four of the next five points to get within one at 7-6, eventually tying the set at 9-9 on a Wallace kill. The RedHawks broke the tie with a Gaby Harper kill and grew the advantage to eight at 21-13 on a bock by Seaman and Powell. NIU only got as close as seven points the rest of the set as Miami won it 25-15 and the match 3-0.
The RedHawks hit .307 for the match and had 52 digs to NIU's 37. Riemersma led the match with 14 kills and Seaman dished out 45 assists.
NIU continues its current homestand with two matches March 4
th and 5
th against the Akron Zips. First serve for both matches is 4 p.m.
Although fans are unable to attend NIU volleyball matches this season, you can still make your presence felt in Victor E. Court by purchasing a cutout as part of the "Huskie Howl" presented by First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO). For just $60, fans can put their image on a cutout that will remain in place in Victor E. Court for all NIU volleyball matches during the 2021 spring season. Net proceeds from all fan cutouts will benefit the Huskie Athletic Fund.
Click here to order your cutout.
--NIU--
