DeKALB, Ill.—Charli Atiemo (Milford, Mich./Farmington Hills Mercy) set a new career-best in aces, recording five in the match as the Northern Illinois University Huskies volleyball program fell in four sets to the University of Toledo Rockets. The Huskies posted set scores of 17-25, 25-23, 21-25, 18-25 inside Victor E. Court on Friday night. 

Atiemo's five service aces were the first from a Huskie player since Emily Dykes (Winterville, N.C./Ayden-Grifton) had five aces against NJIT on Aug. 26, 2022. The Huskies were credited with having eight or more service aces for the third time this season.

Nazli Güvener (Ankara, Turkey/Elvankent Sinar) led the Huskies with 10 kills, her second consecutive game with double-digit kills. Crew Hoffmeier (Louisville, Ky/Assumption) led the Huskies with 15 digs as the team tallied 49 in the game.

"Aspects of tonight's match showed how far we've come this season," said head coach Sondra Parys. "We were able to get runs of points together from the service line and saw our defense step up to new challenges. Toledo is a strong attacking team, and we are determined to slow them down better tomorrow."

The Rockets opened the game with four unanswered points before Güvener recorded her first kill and put the Huskies on the board. A series of errors by the Rockets and a pair of kills by the Huskies saw the game reach an early tie at six. The Huskies and Rockets traded points over the few points before a kill by Nikolette Nedic (Willowbrook, Ill./Hinsdale Central) put the within one at 8-7. The Rockets would extend their lead to five at 14-9 as Dykes ended a 6-2 run by the Rockets. The Rockets would never trail in the remainder of the opening set, winning 25-17.

The second set mirror the first set before Katie Erdmann (Forreston, Ill/Forreston) got the first kill of the set for the Huskies. Güvener recorded a pair of kills as the Huskies kept the game close early at 5-4. Following a Nedic kill, Atiemo went to the line and would record four of her five service aces as the Huskies to an 11-8 lead. The Huskies offense was rolling as they were hitting .310 in the set. Atiemo was credited with three of her eight kills late in the set as the Huskies built a seven-point lead. Dykes sealed the second set for the Huskies, connecting with Ella Mihacevich (Brunswick, Ohio/Padua Franciscan) on a kill to hold off the late charge from the Rockets.

Erdmann started at the service line for the Huskies in the third set as the Huskies opened with back-to-back points. The teams would trade points over the next eight points in the contest. A block by Atiemo and Isabelle Percoco (Charlotte, N.C./South Mecklenburg) tied the game at five. The Huskies would get within two at 9-7 on a Nedic kill before the Huskies challenge a call and brought the game within two at 10-8. The Rockets went on an 11-1 run late in the set before Güvener connected with Atiemo for a Huskies kill at 20-15. The Huskies and Rockets matched each other point-for-point in the last ten points as the Rockets took a 2-1 lead over the Huskies.

The Huskies and Rockets traded points in the fourth and final set. An attacking error by the Rockets tied the game at six, which would be the last tie of the game. The Rockets scored six unanswered points before Erdmann recorded a service ace. Three Huskies recorded kills late in the set as the Rockets ended the game on a 7-2 run.

The Huskies were held to three blocks in the contest and a hitting percentage of .154. The loss drops the Huskies to 8-18 on the season and 6-8 in MAC play.

The Huskies will conclude their four-game home stay against Toledo on Nov. 4 at 2 p.m. inside Victor E. Court. The Huskies will honor the seniors prior to the match.