DeKALB, Ill.—Nikolette Nedic (Willowbrook, Ill./Hinsdale Central) and Emily Dykes (Winterville, N.C./Ayden-Grifton) led the Northern Illinois University Huskies volleyball team with 10 and nine kills respectively, as the Huskies fell to the Western Michigan University Broncos in the season finale. The Huskies posted set scores of 22-25, 21-25, 20-25 in the game.  

Ella Mihacevich (Brunswick, Ohio/Padua Franciscan) and Sophie Hurt (Elmhurst, Ill./IC Catholic Prep) combined for 31 of the Huskies 33 assists. Crew Hoffmeier (Louisville, Ky./Assumption) averaged just over five digs per set, tallying 16 in the match.

"I'm proud of how hard we fought as a team tonight," said NIU head coach Sondra Parys. "This was some of the cleanest volleyball (that) we've played in a while. We played with heart and left everything on the court."

The opening set saw the Huskies and Broncos trading points, with neither team having more than a two-point advantage. A kill by Dykes tied the game at 10 and started a 4-0 run by the Huskies to take a 14-10 lead. The Broncos recorded back-to-back aces to bring the game within one before Dykes started the Huskies on a 5-3 run. The Broncos scored three unanswered points to tie the game late at 20. Dykes and Sarah Lezon (Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli) recorded the final two kills of the set for the Huskies as the Huskies fell 25-22 in the opening set.  

Dykes was a key factor in the two of the Huskies opening five points of the second set, recording a kill and a block with Lezon. The Broncos responded to the Huskies opening 5-1 run with a 9-1 run of their own. A Huskie block ended the scoring drought as they brought the game back to within two on a Lezon kill at 13-11. Nedic, on an assist by Mihacevich, ended a 4-1 run by the Broncos as the Huskies recorded three consecutive points to bring the game to 19-18. The Broncos held off a late Huskie charge, ending the second set on a 6-3 run.

The third and final set saw seven tied scores early as the Huskies took a 10-8 lead on a Dykes and Savanah Brandt (Pearl City, Ill./Pearl City) block. After the Broncos tied the set at 10, Nedic started and ended three unanswered points for the Huskies with a kill and a block assist. The Broncos went on a 5-1 run to take the lead at 15-14 in the set on an attacking error by the Huskies. The set saw four additional tie scores, ending with a tied game at 18 on a Dykes kill. Nedic recorded the final kill of the season for the Huskies with Dykes and Charli Atiemo (Milford, Mich./Farmington Hills Mercy) having the final point for the Huskies.

The Huskies did not have a service ace in the game, the first time all season. The Huskies were credited with 12 blocks, the eighth time this season the Huskies have been credited with 12 or more blocks.

The Huskies conclude the 2023 regular season with an 8-22 record and a 6-12 record in MAC play.

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