DeKALB, Ill.—Extending their win streak to four, the Northern Illinois University Huskies volleyball team (5-1) defeated the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Cougars in straight sets this evening (Sept. 6) inside the NIU Convocation Center. NIU posted set scores of 25-22, 27-25, and 27-25 to claim the victory.
Emma McCartney (Cleveland, Ohio/Chadron) led the Huskies with 11 kills while
Autumn Flynn (New Franken, Wis./Luxemburg-Casco) added 10 kills. Flynn also led the Huskies with three blocks.
The Huskies won the invitational with Flynn being named MVP of the tournament. Joining Flynn on the All-Tournament team are
Rylea Alvin (Randolph, Wis./Randolph),
Alexa Hayes (Magnolia, Tex./Magnolia West), and
Ava Grevengoed (Shorewood, Ill./Joliet West).
How It Happened
The Huskies and Cougars engaged in a back-and-forth battle in all three sets after starting the first set with eight tie scores before Grevengoed recorded her first service ace of the evening to make it 9-8. Following a McCartney kill, the Cougars answered with three unanswered points. Alvin tied the game back at 11 with a kill before a pair of attacking errors by the Cougars gave NIU a 13-11 lead. Flynn had a pair of kills in the Huskies next scoring run as NIU took a four-point lead. The Cougars would fight back to within one at 21-20 before tying the game at 22. A
Naomi Dowd (Aurora, Ill./Waubonsie Valley) kill started a trio of kills as the Huskies took the opening set.
Following a pair of consecutive points, NIU opened the second set with three straight points including an Alvin kill. The teams traded points as neither was able to gain more than a single point advantage before a service error by SIUE tied the game at nine. McCartney recorded a block in the midst of a 4-0 run as NIU took a 12-9 lead. The Cougars bounced back to tie the game at 12 as the teams traded kills. A late kill by Alvin started NIU on a 3-0 run and put them within three at 22-18. SIUE had back-to-back kills as they tied the game at 22. Flynn had back-to-back points (kill and block) to give NIU set point at 24-22. SIUE went on a 3-1 run to tie the game at 25 before Grevengoed had a pair of kills for the second set win.
Entering the third set and looking for a sweep, NIU got down 5-2 early after a pair of early attacking errors. SIUE kept the offensive pressure on, building their lead to six at 9-3 before Hayes found an answer for the Huskies. The Huskies faced a seven-point deficit at 14-7 before McCartney found an offensive spark for the Huskies with back-to-back kills. NIU went on a 10-2 run as they took a 19-17 lead on a Flynn service ace. Matching the end of the second set, SIUE would go on to tie the set at 25 before McCartney and Flynn had a pair of kills for the Huskies fourth straight win.
Up next, the Huskies travel to the IU Indianapolis Hampton Invitational, September 12-13. The Huskies will face Gonzaga at 10 a.m. on September 12 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
