YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio— Three Huskies recorded double-doubles as the Northern Illinois University volleyball team fell to Youngstown State in four sets. NIU (7-13, 1-9 Horizon League) won the first set 25-23 before dropping the next three, 23-25, 17-25 and 21-25, to the Penguins (11-10, 7-3 Horizon League).
Katie Pahl (Perrysburg, Ohio/Perrysburg) recorded her second double-double of the season, leading NIU with 13 kills. Additionally, Pahl added 11 digs, one service ace and one block.
Viktoria Djukic (Podgorica, Montenegro) recorded her third double-double of the season with 33 assists and 16 digs. Her 33 assists marked a career high for the freshman.
Ava Grevengoed (Shorewood, Ill./Joliet West) and
Autumn Flynn (Luxemburg, Wis./Luxemburg-Casco) added 11 kills apiece. Grevengoed also recorded 10 digs for her 30th career double-double.
"We played a lot better as a team today," said
Sondra D'Amore, NIU head coach. "We came ready to go and had control of the first two sets. If we win that second set, it's a different match. We're responding to the adversity that our team's faced and just have to keep pushing."
Pahl recorded two kills in the first six points as NIU opened the match on a 6-3 run. Djukic then recorded her lone kill of the match to give the Huskies a four-point lead. The Penguins rallied to tie the set at 8 before taking a 14-10 lead. A Flynn kill sparked a 7-3 run for the Huskies, highlighted by two kills from Grevengoed, as NIU tied the set at 23. Grevengoed followed with back-to-back service aces to give the Huskies a 25-23 win in the opening set.
Dowd and Flynn recorded a block early in the second set as NIU took a 9-5 lead. Dowd finished with a career-high five blocks in the match. The Penguins responded with a 7-3 run to take a 12-11 lead. The teams traded points through the middle of the set before a Pahl kill tied the score at 21. A Youngstown State service error brought the teams to their final tie at 22-22 before the Penguins closed out the set with a 25-23 win.
Pahl recorded the first two kills of the third set as Youngstown State opened with a 6-2 lead. Grevengoed and Flynn added kills as the teams battled early in the set. An Alvin kill brought NIU within three at 11-8. Flynn added a pair of kills as the Penguins continued their offensive attack. Three different Huskies recorded kills late in the set, but Youngstown State prevailed to take the third set, 25-17.
Alvin opened the fourth set with a kill and Flynn added two more during NIU's 5-1 start. The Penguins rallied to tie the set at 10 before Dowd and Alvin teamed up for a block. Youngstown State went on an 8-3 run to take an 18-13 lead. Flynn and Grevengoed combined for five kills as the Huskies mounted a late comeback attempt, but the Penguins scored the final points to win the set 25-21 and secure the match.
The Huskies return to Victor E. Court on Oct. 30 and 31 as they host Robert Morris in a two-game series. First serve is set for 6 p.m. on Oct. 30. before at 2 p.m. first serve on Oct. 31.
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