BOWLING GREEN, Ohio— Emma McCartney (Cleveland, Ohio/Chardon) recorded her second career double-double as the Northern Illinois University Huskies (10-6, 3-4 MAC) fell in straight sets to the Falcons of Bowling Green State University (12-7, 6-1 MAC). The match was close with set scores of 23-25, 21-25, and 23-25.
 
Only two players from each team recorded a service ace as the teams combined for 12 service errors in the match.
 
Naomi Dowd (Aurora, Ill./Waubonsie Valley) recorded career bests in attacking percentage, blocks, and points in the contest.
 
How It Happened
 
Rylea Alvin (Randolph, Wis./Randolph) grabbed the first kill of the evening for the Huskies as Bowling Green started the opening set with four straight points. Ava Grevengoed (Shorewood, Ill./Joliet West) recorded a kill that tied the game at nine as NIU started a 4-1 run for a 13-10 lead. Bowling Green next tied the game at 16 as the teams' traded points back-and-forth with Alexa Hayes (Magnolia, Texas/Magnolia West) got the Huskies to 20 points on a kill. A McCartney kill tied the game at 23 before the Falcons took the final two points for the first set victory.
 
The teams continued to trade points as the Huskies had an early 7-3 lead in the second set. The Huskies built their lead to as many as six in a run that featured kills from Alvin and Grevengoed as Bowling Green was forced to call timeout with NIU leading 14-8. The Falcons regained the lead before an Ella Strausberger (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) kill tied the game at 20. Bowling Green ended the second set on a 5-1 run.
 
The Huskies recorded three consecutive kills to start the third set as they took a 5-1 lead before Bowling Green answered with three straight points. NIU would go back up by three on a kill from McCartney as the Huskies and Falcons traded points heading to a tie at nine. Throughout the third set, neither team was able to gain more than a two-point advantage before seeing a tie score. Following a tie at 17, NIU went on a 4-1 run to lead 21-18. Dowd had the final kill of the evening for the Huskies as Bowling Green ended the set on a 6-1 run.  
 
Up next, the Huskies will welcome the Rockets of Toledo to Victor E. Court on October 17 and 18. First serve is set for 6 p.m. on October 17 with games broadcast on ESPN+.
 
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