ATHENS, Ohio — Early momentum wasn't enough for the Northern Illinois University Huskies as the Huskies dropped a four-set battle to the Ohio University Bobcats. The Huskies jumped out to an early start, winning the first set 25-19 before falling 17-25, 20-25, 20-25 to the Bobcats in Athens on Thursday night.
Emily Dykes (Winterville, N.C./Ayden-Grifton) recorded her third game of the last four with double-digit kills as she recorded 11 in the match. Dykes recorded three block assists in the match and had the highest individual hitting percentage for the Huskies.
"We did a good job executing the first set and that was in the plan. Ohio adjusted fast and we weren't able to respond as quickly," said NIU head coach Sondra Parys. "As teams adjust, we need (to) learn to adjust as well. As the season goes on, we are learning to adapt and making those adjustments quickly."
Dykes registered the first two points of the evening for the Huskies as the Huskies and Bobcats kept the first set close early. Four of Dykes 11 kills of the night would come in the first set. The teams would see the final tie of the first set at 13 as Ohio recorded an attacking error. With Crew Hoffmeier (Louisville, KY/Assumption) at the service line, the Huskies scored three unanswered points as they would never trail again in the opening set.
The Bobcats scored four unanswered points in the second set, taking an early 6-2 lead over the Huskies to force an early timeout. A Bobcats offense that recorded a hitting percentage of .355 in the set did not let the Huskies back in. A block by Isabelle Percoco (Charlotte, N.C./South Mecklenburg) and Charli Atiemo (Milford, Mich./Farmington Hills Mercy) ended a 5-2 run by the Bobcats. Dykes and Katie Erdmann (Forreston, Ill./Forreston) recorded late kills for the Huskies as the Bobcats tied the match at one.
The Huskies gained early momentum in the third set as the Huskies jumped out to a 6-2 lead. Four different Huskies recorded kills as the Bobcats struggled to find an answer. The Bobcats and Huskies would tie the set three times as the Bobcats recorded three consecutive kills to take a 2-1 lead over the Huskies.
The Huskies and Bobcats kept the fourth and final set close during the opening points, trading kills and errors. At the service line, Erdmann recorded a pair of aces as the Huskies tied the set at six. Atiemo led the Huskies in the fourth set with three of the nine NIU kills, including the final kill of the match for NIU.
With the loss, the Huskies drop to 5-12 overall and 3-2 in the MAC.
The Huskies continue action in Ohio, facing Kent State in MAC play on Friday, Oct. 6. The first serve is set for 5 p.m. in Kent, Ohio and will be available on ESPN+.
