DeKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University volleyball team slipped in four sets (25-27, 18-25, 25-21,24-26) to Central Michigan Friday night at Victor E. Court. The highlight of the night was Francesca Bertucci (Chicago, Ill./De La Salle) recording her 1,000^th career kill, a milestone not many have accomplished in only their first two seasons.

"I thought we had some good defensive performances from Franki (Bertucci) and Sophie (Hurt). Nik (Nedic) did a good job coming in and continued to get better at her volleyball," said head NIU coach Ray Gooden. "The biggest part right now is that we have to always fight. That's the biggest part for us right now. We're in this phase - we just have to learn how to fight the entire time,"

How it Happened: NIU had a 21-18 lead before a CMU took off on an 8-2 run to win the first set. In the second frame, the Huskies fought back down 18-10, coming within five at 22-17 after kills from Emily Dykes (Winterville, N.C./Ayden-Grifton) and Sammi Lockwood (Cary, Ill./Prairie Ridge). But even play from Central Michigan's hitters helped them extend their lead back to seven as CMU took the second frame.

NIU won its sole set in the third frame, hitting .222, the best of the night for the Huskies. After trailing 16-13, NIU evaporated CMU's lead after a huge 8-1 run. The Chippewas came within one at 21-20, but kills from Dykes and Jablonski snuffed their chance of a comeback. A kill from Charli Atiemo (Milford, Mich./Farmington Hills Mercy) and Sophie Hurt's (Elmhurst, Ill./IC Catholic Prep) ace gave NIU the set win.

The Huskies had a 22-14 advantage in the fourth set before Central Michigan took off on a 12-3 run. Lockwood put down a big block at 23-20, but it couldn't slow the Chippewas' attack. In the end, CMU won the final set, 26-24.      
Notables:

• The Huskies had 10 aces, the first time in double-digits since Oct. 2, 2021 when they totaled 11 vs. Eastern Michigan.
  • Ella Mihacevich (Brunswick, Ohio/Padua Franciscan) and Hurt had three each.
  • Brianna Scuric (East Troy, Wis./East Troy) had two.
  • Atiemo and Olivia Hogan (Dyersville, Iowa/Beckman Catholic) had one each.
• Bertucci's 15^th dig of the night was the 1,000^th of her career. She racked up 30 through the match.
• Jablonski had her ninth double-double of the season with 11 kills and 12 digs.
• Mihacevich logged her eighth double-double of the season with 36 assists (a match-high) and 10 digs. She also had a pair of blocks.
• Dykes led NIU with 12 kills and 12.5 points.
• Lockwood had five blocks, two of which were solo blocks.
• Atiemo had two blocks and eight kills.

Up Next: The two teams will run it back tomorrow at 2 p.m. - the match will broadcast on ESPN3. NIU will celebrate its three seniors: Kaitlyn Bell (De Soto, Kan./De Soto), Scuric and Jablonski prior to first serve.

"Franki's done a great job. For her to get over 1,000 digs in her second season, that's an incredible, incredible thing to say about what she's been able to do for our team and for this program." - Coach Gooden on Bertucci's 1,000^th career dig.