DeKALB, IL – The Northern Illinois University volleyball team returns to Victor E. Court Tuesday night to take on the Western Michigan Broncos at 6 p.m. The match will be broadcast on ESPN3/+.
 
NIU (7-9, 7-9 MAC) split its third consecutive Mid-American Conference series over the weekend at Buffalo. The Huskies hit .247 last Friday night in a 3-1 (23-25, 25-22, 25-19, 25-20) win over the Bulls. Kennedy Wallace (Kansas City, Kan./Piper) had a match-high 14 kills and hit .480 with five blocks. JoDee Kovanda (Lockport, Ill./West Florida) added 11 kills, seven digs and four blocks. It was her first match with double-digit kills since the Feb. 19 win at Ball State. On Saturday, Buffalo held NIU to a .150 hitting percentage in a 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-14) win.
 
The Huskies are second in the MAC in blocks, averaging 2.29 blocks per set. Junior middle blocker Jasmine Kemp (DeKalb, Ill./DeKalb) is eighth in the league with 1.02 blocks per set. Kemp has had at least four blocks in a match in six of the last nine matches, averaging 1.20 blocks per set in that stretch. Wallace is 10^th in the MAC with 0.95 blocks per set this season. She is averaging 1.10 blocks per set over the last nine matches with five matches of four or more blocks.
 
Western Michigan (12-3, 12-3 MAC) comes into Tuesday's match at 12-3, leading the MAC West Division. The Broncos have won six matches in a row after taking both of their matches at Akron last weekend. Outside hitter Rachel Bontrager leads the conference with 4.61 kills per set as setter Logan Case has a league-high 11.85 assists per set. As a team, the Broncos lead the MAC with 14.50 kills per set and are second in hitting percentage at .240.
 
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.
 
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