KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Northern Illinois University volleyball team's postseason hopes fell short after losing a five-set thriller (20-25, 25-18, 25-19, 17-25, 8-15) to Western Michigan at Read Fieldhouse/University Arena Wednesday night.
"We battled to put ourselves in a spot to find success and came up just a little short," said head NIU volleyball coach
Ray Gooden. "Our team really gave all they possibly could for this match tonight - they battled hard. Just unfortunately, came a little short,"
How it Happened: After dropping the first frame, the Huskies stormed back and took the ensuing two sets to go up 2-1 in the match. A six-point swing in the second set gave NIU a 12-6 lead before two kills from
Charli Atiemo (Milford, Mich./Farmington Hills Mercy) and
Katie Jablonski's (Elburn, Ill./Kaneland) ace put the Huskies up 18-10. Jablonski logged the set-winning kill from
Ella Mihacevich (Brunswick, Ohio/Padua Franciscan) to give NIU its first set-win of the evening.
In the third frame, an 11-2 run put NIU in front 17-7. Totally in control, NIU finished off the Broncos on a 5-3 run, capped by a massive block from Jablonski and
Sammi Lockwood (Cary, Ill./Prairie Ridge).
With a slight 9-8 edge in the fourth frame, it looked as if NIU was going to escape with a four-set win. However, WMU thundered back on a 13-2 run to take a commanding 19-11 lead. At set point,
Nikolette Nedic's (Willowbrook, Ill./Hinsdale Central) kill plus a Bronco error cut the deficit to seven, but Logan Case of WMU logged the set-winning kill, forcing a fifth and final set.
In the extra set, Western Michigan capitalized on its .421 hitting percentage and took off on a 6-1 run. A brief three-point swing from the Huskies cut the Broncos' lead to 12-8, but three-straight Western Michigan kills helped WMU win the set and match.
Notables:
- Because Buffalo won its match over Akron and NIU lost, the Huskies have been eliminated from postseason contention.
- Mihacevich's 54 assists were just three shy of her career-high which was set versus Western Michigan on Sept. 27.
- Mihacevich added 17 digs for a double-double.
- Jablonski led NIU with 19 kills and three aces, tying her season-high.
- Jablonski additionally logged 15 digs for a double-double.
- Nedic contributed a season-high 14 kills.
- Atiemo had 12 kills while Emily Dykes (Winterville, N.C./Ayden-Grifton) had 10.
- Lockwood led at the net with six blocks.
- Francesca Bertucci (Chicago, Ill./De La Salle) had a match-high 30 digs.
"There are so many positives that have come through, we've been able to see some of them in the performances of our players this year and I think a big core of those players are returning. I am very thankful to have been able to coach, not only this team, but all the teams through my time at NIU. So, I think that there are a lot of positives moving forward."
