DeKALB, Ill.—Nazli Güvener (Ankara, Turkey/Elvankent Sinar) recorded a career-best 21 kills while Sophie Hurt (Elmhurt, Ill./IC Catholic Prep) had a career-best four service aces as the Northern Illinois University Huskies Volleyball (0-2) team took on the Milwaukee Panthers (2-1) in a five-set battle. The Huskies won the first and third sets before dropping the second, fourth, and fifth sets with scores of 25-22, 18-25, 25-19, 19-25, 13-15.
 
Hurt recorded her third double-double of her career, with 20 assists and 11 digs in the contest.
 
"Lot of positive takeaways, especially in certain areas of the game that we talked about after the game on Friday," said head coach Sondra D'Amore. "You saw our attackers execute the game plan and the setters were in-tune with the distribution of the ball. There is going to be a lot of highs and lows early in the season as you are getting that experience but a lot of positives to take away."
 
Güvener, Charli Atiemo (Milford, Mich./Farmington Hills Mercy), and Ava Grevengoed (Shorewood, Ill./Joliet West) combined for 50 of the Huskies 57 kills.
 
Game Recap
 
Atiemo recorded the first two kills of the afternoon for the Huskies as the Huskies and Panthers traded points in the opening moments of the first set. Güvener ended a 6-2 run by the Panthers to make it 5-7 as he recorded a pair of early kills. Milwaukee maintained a lead throughout the first set until Ella Strausberger (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) stepped up to the service line for three straight points by the Huskies. An error by Milwaukee gave the Huskies a 23-22 lead before the Huskies would end the set with a kill by Güvener.
 
Starting the second set, Güvener tallied the first two kills of the set for the Huskies as they led 4-2 early. The Huskies went on a 5-3 run that saw a pair of kills from Atiemo before Milwaukee called a timeout to end the scoring run. Grevengoed marked her first service ace of the game to end a 6-0 run by Milwaukee as the teams continued to battle. Nikolette Nedic (Willowbrook, Ill./Hinsdale Center) had the final kill of the set as the Huskies dropped the set 18-25.
 
The Huskie offense was clicking as the game turned to the third set, as Hurt opened the set with a service ace. Nedic recorded two of her three blocks in the third set as the Huskies took a 6-1 lead. The closest that Milwaukee would get to the Huskies in the third set was a four-point difference at 6-2. Güvener put the Huskies up by 11 at 20-9 on an assist from Strausberger. The Huskies grabbed five kills in the closing minutes of the set to take a 2-1 lead over Milwaukee.
 
Milwaukee took a 7-5 lead over the Huskies early in the fourth set after trading points with the Huskies. Grevengoed marked a pair of consecutive kills in the scorebook to tie the game at seven before later tying the game at 10 with a service ace. The Huskie defense kept the set within four points until they pulled away at the end of the set on a 5-0 run to force a fifth and final set.
 
With Hurt at the service line, the Huskies opened with three-straight points including a pair of service aces. Milwaukee quickly tied the game at 3 all before a Grevengoed kill send the Huskies on 4-1 run to lead 7-4.  An attacking error by the Huskies tied the game at 9 as Milwaukee had four unanswered points to take a 12-10 lead. Grevengoed had the final kill of the afternoon for the Huskies as Milwaukee took the fifth set 13-15.
 
"I'm glad it was as competitive as it was, even with the home court advantages but it was two tough matches," noted D'Amore. "That prepares you for being on the road and they're getting better each time we step onto the court. I'm proud of the whole team for the seeing the improvement from Friday."
 
Huskie Highlights

• In her first two games for the Huskies, Strausberger tallied a pair of double-doubles, with 18 assists and 11 digs against Milwaukee.  
• Atiemo and Güvener recorded back-to-back double-digit kills in the opening weekend of the season.  
• Four players set new career bests this weekend as Sarah Lezon (Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli) and Hurt set career-best service aces, Nedic set a career-best six blocks on Friday (Aug. 30), and Güvener set a career-best in kills this afternoon.
• The Huskies recorded 10 service aces in the contest and 10 blocks.

 
The Huskies return to action as they begin a seven-game road swing on Thursday, September 5 at the St. Thomas (MN) Invitational. The Huskies will face the Beacons of Valparaiso on September 5 at 4 p.m. Central in St. Paul, Minnesota.