Women's Volleyball | October 27

DeKALB, Ill.—The Northern Illinois University Huskies volleyball team (10-10, 3-8 MAC) hits the road on Tuesday (October 28) as they travel to Western Michigan University (11-13, 8-3 MAC) before returning home to take on the University at Buffalo (7-13, 4-7 MAC) on Friday and Saturday (October 31-November 1). The Huskies and Broncos are set for first serve at 5 p.m. CT in Kalamazoo, Michigan while the Huskies and Bulls of Buffalo are set to have first serve at 6 p.m. in DeKalb.
 
Fans are invited to stay after the game on October 31 for post-match autographs with the Huskies volleyball team as they celebrate Huskie Halloween.
 
Due to ICA Cheer competition taking place in the Convocation Center, fans are asked to park in lot C3 for the November 1 game against Buffalo.  
 
To purchase tickets, please click here or call the NIU Athletics Tickets Office at 815-753-PACK (7225).
 
NIU claimed the first meeting this season against Western Michigan, a 3-0 sweep, in DeKalb on October 7. It was the first victory sweep of the Broncos since the 2019 season and first win in DeKalb since the 2022 season.
 
Emma McCartney (Cleveland, Ohio/Chardon) recorded her first career double-double as she was credited with 16 kills, to lead all players, and 15 digs. Ava Grevengoed (Shorewood, Ill./Joliet West) added 12 kills as she and McCartney totaled 28 of the Huskies 50 kills in the contest.
 
Since meeting with the Huskies earlier this month, the Broncos have gone 5-1 in conference play. Mary Clare Brusek leads the Broncos with 2.89 kills per set and is joined by Annalise Patchett and Molly Brown with over 200 kills this season. Patchett and Brown average 2.53 and 2.28 kills per set respectively. Brown leads the Broncos with 35 aces this season, an average of .39 per set. Defensively, Elana Erickson leads the team with 4.13 digs per set.
 
Before facing off against the Huskies this weekend, the Bulls will have their second match-up with Akron on Tuesday night. Manoela Forlin and Emerson Matthews lead the Bulls with 3.44 and 3.34 kills per set, both having 244 kills this season. On the defensive side of the ball, Keira Kleidon leads the team with 3.91 digs per set.
 
Buffalo took both meetings last season while NIU holds the series record at 20-11.
 
McCartney is leading the Huskies with 2.99 kills per set and is joined by Grevengoed at 2.84 kills per set. Grevengoed has recorded three consecutive double-doubles and leads the Huskies with nine this season.
 
Sophomore setter Ella Strausberger (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) reached 1,000 career assists in the Huskies match against Akron on October 25. Strausberger leads the Huskies with an average of 5.13 assists per set.

Rylea Alvin (Randolph, Wis./Randolph) is leading the Huskies blocking efforts with 83 this season. With an average of 1.09 per set, Alvin lands at fifth in the MAC.
 
Need more Huskies Volleyball? Follow us on Twitter/X at @NIUVolleyball, on Facebook at NIU Volleyball, and on Instagram at @NIUVolley.