OXFORD, Ohio— Ava Grevengoed (Shorewood, Ill./Joliet West) led all players on the court with 19 kills as the Northern Illinois University Huskies Volleyball team (4-24, 2-16 MAC) concluded the regular season this afternoon against the Miami University RedHawks (8-21, 2-16 MAC).
 
The match featured set scores of 25-23, 23-25, 19-25, and 19-25 in the four-set battle.
 
Senior libero Crew Hoffmeier (Louisville, Ky./Assumption) recorded her 1000th dig as a Huskie, finishing her career with a total of 1,722 digs.
 
"This weekend was a positive way to end the season. Despite today's results, we battled hard and found a way to grow as a program. We will carry the positives with us and continue to get back to work to better the future of NIU Volleyball," said NIU head coach Sondra D'Amore.
 
Grevengoed's 19 kills sets a new career-best for the freshman as she had previously recorded 18 kills against Akron on October 3, 2024.
 
Game Recap
 
Miami scored the first three points of the opening set before Nikolette Nedic (Willowbrook, Ill./Hinsdale Central) got the first kill of the afternoon for the Huskies. Miami built their lead out to four at 8-4 before Savanah Brandt (Pearl City, Ill./Pearl City) found an answer for to the Miami offense. A Grevengoed service ace brought the Huskies within before Grevengoed tied the set at 15 with a kill. The teams traded points several times as the RedHawks took a two-point advantage late. Grevengoed accounted for three kills as NIU ended the opening set on a 6-2 run.
 
After a pair of opening points from the RedHawks, the Huskies went on a 6-0 run which featured a pair of kills from Nedic. Miami crawled the way back to within two before Grevengoed noted a kill. Rylea Alvin (Randolph, Wis./Randolph) and Brandt teamed up for a block as the Huskies led 10-6 before Miami went on a 6-1 run to take the lead. Sophie Hurt (Elmhurst, Ill./IC Catholic Prep) recorded her first kill of the evening as Nazli Güvener (Ankara, Turkey/Elvankent Sinar) tied the game for at 15. Leading with a Charli Atiemo (Milford, Mich./Farmington Hills Mercy) kill, the Huskies scored five unanswered points to tie the game at 21. Miami took the second set on a 4-2 run.
 
Güvener recorded the first kill of the third set as the Huskies took a 3-2 lead over the RedHawks. The Huskies saw their final lead of the set at 5-4 on an attacking error by the RedHawks. Atiemo led a 3-0 charge for the Huskies to bring them within two at 16-14. A 5-1 run by the Huskies late featured a pair of kills from Grevengoed and aces from Grevengoed and Hurt to bring the Huskies within one. Miami ended the set on a 5-0 run as we headed to the fourth set.
 
Güvener recorded the first kill of the fourth and final set and Hoffmeier had the first service ace for the Huskies. Emma McCartney (Chardon, Ohio/Chardon) led a 3-0 run by the Huskies with a pair of kills to tie the set at five. Miami went on a 6-2 run early that was ended by an Alexa Hayes (Magnolia, Texas/Magnolia West) kill. The RedHawks offense was clicking as they built their lead out to seven at 19-12. Featuring a pair of Grevengoed kills the Huskies went on a 6-2 run late to bring the game within three at 21-18. The RedHawks ended the late Huskie offensive charge on a 4-1 run to take the match 3-1.
 
Huskie Highlights

• Grevengoed noted her 13th career double-double with 14 digs alongside her 19 kills.
• Three Huskies accounted for six of the eighth service aces in the match with Hoffmeier, Grevengoed, and Hurt each with a pair.
• Alvin led the Huskies with five blocks, her eighth time leading the Huskies this season.

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