MUNCIE, Ind.— The Northern Illinois University Huskies volleyball team (9-3, 2-1 MAC) fell in straight sets to the Cardinals of Ball State University (7-8, 3-0 MAC) this evening (Oct. 2).
 
Ava Grevengoed (Shorewood, Ill./Joliet West) led the Huskies with seven kills and three service aces.

The Huskies recorded six aces as a team as they were held to their lowest number of kills in a game this season.
 
"Ball State is just a really efficient team on both sides of the ball," noted NIU Head Coach Sondra D'Amore. "Our bench did a great job coming in and providing relief. We are going to need that depth as we get pushed through the MAC. We know we have more in the tank."
 
How It Happened
 
Ball State started on a 6-0 run before Grevengoed recorded the first kill of the evening for the Huskies. Alexa Hayes (Magnolia, Texas/Magnolia West) got the second kill of the set for the Huskies as NIU came within four at 9-5. Grevengoed and Hayes had back-to-back kills near the midpoint mark as Ball State continued the offensive pressure. Grevengoed had a late service ace while Savannah Gogel (Santa Claus, Ind./Heritage Hills) marked the final kill as Ball State took the first set.
 
Ella Strausberger (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) opened the second set for the Huskies with a service ace before the Cardinals had three unanswered points. Autumn Flynn (Luxemburg, Wis./Luxemburg-Casco) had back-to-back points via a kill and a service ace as the Huskies tied the set at four. A Huskie block gave NIU their first lead of the night at 5-4 before Grevengoed mirrored Flynn's consecutive points to tie the game at eight. The Huskies tied the set for a final time at 12 as Ball State had six unanswered points. A Grevengoed block put the Huskies within three before Ball State finished the set on a 5-2 run.
 
Gogel had the first kill of the third set for the Huskies, answering three straight points from Ball State. NIU got within three on a service ace from Grevengoed at 8-5 as Ball State responded with a 5-1 run. Gogel and Naomi Dowd (Aurora, Ill./Waubonsie Valley) combined for three Huskies kills through the middle of the third set as Ball State continued their offensive attack. Hayes started a 6-3 run as NIU got within five on a Gogel kill at 21-16. Grevengoed and Hayes marked the final kills of the night as Ball State took the final two points of the match.
 
The Huskies continue action on the road as they travel to Oxford, Ohio for a match up with the RedHawks of Miami. Game time is set for 5:30 p.m. CT on October 3 in Millett Hall on the Miami campus.
 
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