CHICAGO, Ill. – Emily Dykes (Winterville, N.C./Ayden-Grifton) recorded a team-high 14 kills, hitting .414, but the Northern Illinois University volleyball team fell to Evansville in four set on Friday afternoon (Sept. 8), 25-22, 25-20, 22-25, 25-22, in the DePaul Invitational at McGrath-Phillips Arena. 

Shannon Dunkin (Menifee, Calif./Paloma Valley) recorded seven blocks for the Huskies, Giulia Cardona had a match-high 24 kills for Evansville while Melanie Feliciano added 16 kills for the Purple Aces. 

NIU had a 15-11 lead in the opening set before a pair of Evansville kills and a pair of aces from Cardona tied the set at 15. The set was tied again at 22 before a three-point burst from Evansville gave the set to the Purple Aces, 25-22. 

Madisyn Steele tallied kills for two of the final three points in the set while Feliciano recorded six kills to lead Evansville. 

In the second set, an 8-1 Evansville run helped build a seven-point advantage, 22-15. NIU clawed back within three, 22-19, as Dunkin recorded a solo block, Dykes had a kill and Jada Cerniglia (Cross Plains, Wis./Middleton) tallied an ace. Two kills from Cardona and another by Feliciano ended the hopes of a NIU comeback in the set as the Purple Aces claimed the second, 25-20. 

Cardona and Feliciano both recorded six kills in the second frame as Evansville hit .357 as a team with just three errors. 

Tied at 10 in the third set, NIU scored five-straight points to take a 15-10 lead. Nikolette Nedic (Willowbrook, Ill./Hinsdale Central) had a pair of kills during the run. The Huskie lead reached 20-13 before Evansville clawed back to within just one, 23-22. Another kill from Nedic and a block by Charli Atiemo (Milford, Mich./Farmington Hills Mercy) and Isabelle Percoco (Charlotte, N.C./South Mecklenburg) gave the third set to the Huskies, 25-22. 

Evansville took a quick 9-4 lead in the fourth set, but NIU used an 8-0 run to lead, 14-11. Dunkin combined for four blocks during the burst, three with Dykes and another with Nedic as the Huskies went in front by three. Tied at 19, Evansville scored three of the next four points to move ahead, 23-20, before taking the fourth set, 25-22. 

Feliciano had a match-high 16 digs to lead Evansville while Kora Ruff recorded a match-best 54 assists for the Purple Aces. Crew Hoffmeier (Louisville, Ky./Assumption) led the Huskies with 13 digs. 

NIU will conclude the DePaul Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 9, when the Huskies face St. Thomas (Minn.). First serve against the Tommies is set for 12 p.m.