KINGSTON, R.I.—On the first day of the Art Carmichael Invitational, the Northern Illinois University Huskies (1-6) took on the University of Rhode Island Rams and the Harvard University Crimson on Sept. 13. The Huskies battled the Rams (4-5) in a five-set match, posting scores of 25-21, 25-17, 26-28, 16-25, 23-25. In the second game of the day, the Huskies posted set scores of 25-27, 24-26, 25-23, and 22-25 against the Crimson of Harvard (4-2).
 
In the game against Rhode Island, Ava Grevengoed (Shorewood, Ill./Joliet West) and Sophie Hurt (Elmhurst, Ill./IC Catholic Prep) each recorded their fifth double-double of their career. Grevengoed tallied 13 kills and 16 digs while Hurt had 35 assists and 15 digs for the Huskies. Grevengoed recorded her sixth career double-double against Harvard with 16 kills and 12 digs.
 
Charli Atiemo (Milford, Mich./Farmington Hills Mercy) led the Huskies in the first game with four service aces and tied with Grevengoed in the second game with three aces.
 
"Today was a challenging day. Not just the battle of a long five-set match but to have to turn around and compete again, challenged us in more ways than one," said NIU head coach Sondra D'Amore. "There is a lot of competitive fight…..but we need to continue to find ways to execute at the end of sets or matches when you have the opportunity. You can see that reflected in the tight scores."
 
Rhode Island Recap
 
After starting the set trading points with the hosts, the Huskies began to pull away on a Grevengoed kill. Offensively, the Huskies started clicking as they went on a 7-2 run for a six-point lead over Rhode Island to lead 15-11. Grevengoed had five kills in the first set as the Rams trimmed the Huskie lead down to one at 22-21. Atiemo and Grevengoed combined for two of the Huskies final three points as the Huskies took set one.
 
Mirroring ­the first set, the Huskies and Rams traded points with the largest lead at two between the Huskies. A Nikolette Nedic (Willowbrook, Ill./Hinsdale Central) kill started the Huskies on a 4-1 run as they took a four-point lead at 9-5. The Rams weren't letting the Huskies run away with the second set, bringing the game within on at 10-9. Atiemo and the Huskies offense went on a 7-1 run, which included a pair of service aces, to force a Rhode Island timeout as the Huskies led 17-10. After the Huskies went up by nine, the Rams put together a three-point run as Grevengoed got the final kill of the set.
 
The 3-0 start to the third set by the Huskies was quickly matched by the Rams as the game was tied at three after attacking errors by NIU. Rhode Island took a five-point lead at 10-15 as NIU called a timeout. Returning from the timeout, the Huskies quickly brought the game within one at 18-17 on a Grevengoed kill. The Huskies and Rams would battle at the end of the set, needing extra points as the Rams took their first set of the day.
 
Atiemo tallied the first kill of the fourth set for the Huskies as the Rams took control of the set early. Following a timeout, Kylie Schulze (Wonder Lake, Ill./Woodstock North) grabbed her first kill as a Huskie as NIU began to trim the Rams lead. A Huskie block from Savanah Brandt (Pearl City, Ill./Pearl City) and Rylea Alvin (Randolph, Wis./Randolph) brought the Huskies within one at 13-12 to force a Rams timeout. The Rams went on a 6-0 run before Alvin ended the run with a kill. Nedic and Alvin recorded three kills in the final points of the fourth set as the Huskies fell in the fourth set.
 
Heading into the fifth and final set, Atiemo grabbed the first kill for NIU as they trailed 3-2. An attacking error by the Rams tied the score at three as the Huskies went on a scoring run which saw Alvin be a contributing factor in three straight points (two blocks and a kill). Battling throughout the set, the Huskies maintained the lead as Nedic recorded three of her kills as the Huskies led 10-8. Each team reached set point several times but Rhode Island prevailed, taking the fifth set 25-23.
 
Harvard Recap
 
Grevengoed gave the Huskies an early lead at 3-2 with her 15th service ace of the season as NIU and Harvard battled early. Nedic had a pair of kills that tied the set twice within a few points before Atiemo tied the set with a kill to make it 9-9. Although Harvard maintained a lead, the Huskie's would keep the set within two before Grevengoed tallied her second ace of the set to make it 19-18. Following a Harvard timeout, Grevengoed answered with a kill to tie the match at 20. Extra points were needed in the first set to determine the victor as the Huskies tied it up at 24 before falling to Harvard, 27-25.
 
Atiemo had a pair of aces as the Huskies took a 5-1 lead in the second set. Harvard answered the Huskies early scoring run with four unanswered points of their own to take a 7-6 lead over the Huskies. Neither team was able to gain more than a two-point advantage after the early lead by the Huskies and went extra points for a second consecutive set.
 
Battling for points early, Grevengoed tied the third set with a service ace as the Huskies took the lead briefly which included an Atiemo kill. NIU recorded a pair of attacking errors as the Huskies were able to tie the game at 13. An Alvin kill saw the Huskies take the lead with Harvard recorded three consecutive errors as NIU led 17-15. Alvin answered a kill from Harvard as the Huskies had their largest lead of the set at 20-16. Harvard brought the game within one at 24-23 before Nedic sealed the third set victory for the Huskies with a kill.
 
Heading into the fourth set, Atiemo had consecutive kills before Harvard had four unanswered points to take a 4-3 lead over the Huskies. An Alexa Hayes (Magnolia, Texas/Magnolia West) kill tied the game at eight and started the Huskies on a 3-0 run at 10-8. The Huskies built their lead to three at 15-12 on a block by Alvin and Hayes before Harvard went on a 4-1 run to tie the set at 16. Sarah Lezon had the final kill of the day for the Huskies as Harvard took the fourth set to defeat the Huskies.
 
Huskie Highlights

• Against Rhode Island, Atiemo led the Huskies with 15 kills. Nedic and Grevengoed had 13 kills each to land in double-digit kills. Crew Hoffmeier (Louisville, Ky./Assumption) led the Huskies in digs with 25, one of four Huskies to have double-digit digs.
• Sarah Lezon (Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli) tied her career-best for service aces against Rhode Island at three. Brandt, Jada Cerniglia (Cross Plains, Wis./Middleton) and Schulze set career-bests in games today (Brandt-assists, Cerniglia-kills, Schulze-kills).
• Against Harvard, Atiemo led the Huskies in kills with 18. Atiemo also recorded a career-best points at 21.5 against Harvard.
• The Huskies recorded their second highest hitting percentage of the season against Harvard at .216.
• Schulze made her debut as a Huskie during the Rhode Island game.

 
The Huskies conclude the Art Carmichael Invitational on Sept. 14 at 11 a.m. CT taking on the Seawolves of Stony Brook.