DeKalb, Ill. — Despite double-double performances from a pair of Huskies, the Northern Illinois volleyball team fell in four sets to Green Bay on Friday night (Oct. 2). The Huskies (7-7, 1-3 Horizon) posted set scores of 25-27, 25-20, 19-25 and 19-25 against the Phoenix (11-4, 4-0 Horizon).
Ava Grevengoed (Shorewood, Ill./Joliet West) recorded her second double-double in conference play with 14 kills and 18 digs.
Delaney Steers (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) notched the first double-double of her career with 12 kills and 15 digs. Her 12 kills marked a career high for the sophomore outside hitter.
Autumn Flynn (Luxemburg, Wis./Luxemburg-Casco) tallied a career-best three service aces, reaching the mark for the fourth time in her career.
"I think we did a lot of really good things, and I think we got better as the match went on," said NIU head coach
Sondra D'Amore. "They had one person we really couldn't stop. As a whole, I think we did a really good job of continuing to fight and battle through the whole match. I think we are right there with the top of the league. We get to see them in two weeks."
Katie Pahl (Perrysburg, Ohio/Perrysburg) notched the first kill of the night for the Huskies as Green Bay jumped out to an 8-3 lead. Grevengoed recorded back-to-back kills during a 4-1 run by NIU. The Huskie offense continued to chip away at the deficit, tying the set at 14 on a block by Grevengoed and Flynn. The teams battled late, with Green Bay taking a 20-18 lead on a Huskie error. Pahl and Steers followed with back-to-back kills to bring NIU within one at 20-19. NIU went on a 4-0 run late to take a 25-24 lead before the Phoenix scored the final three points to take the first set, 27-25.
Three different Huskies recorded kills to open the second set before the Phoenix tied the set at five. Grevengoed had three straight kills to give NIU a 9-6 lead and force a Green Bay timeout. The Huskies kept the offensive pressure on, taking a 15-10 lead on a Pahl kill. Green Bay fought back to within one before
Rylea Alvin (Randolph, Wis./Randolph) sparked a 5-1 run by the Huskies. Steers had back-to-back kills to close out the second set, 25-20, in favor of NIU.
Pahl recorded the first kill of the third set, while a block by Flynn and Steers tied the set at two. Green Bay went on an 8-2 run before Flynn found an answer for the Huskies. Flynn's kill later sparked a 6-1 run by NIU to bring the Huskies within one at 12-11. The Phoenix responded with a 7-1 run to take a 19-12 lead late in the set. Steers and Flynn recorded the final kills of the set as Green Bay took the third set, 25-19.
Pahl, who was the third Huskie to record double-digit kills on the night, opened the fourth set with a pair of kills as NIU took an early 3-1 lead. Neither team was able to establish a significant advantage, with the early portion of the set featuring 10 ties. Back-to-back kills from the Huskies gave NIU a two-point advantage at 14-12. A Pahl kill tied the set at 17 for the final tie of the night, while Grevengoed and Flynn recorded the final kills of the set as Green Bay closed out the fourth set, 25-19.
The Huskies continue their homestand Oct. 9-10 as they host Northern Kentucky during Homecoming Week. First serve against the Norse is set for 6 p.m. Oct. 9.
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