Huskies Take Down Miami In Three Sets
NIU picks up first conference win
DeKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois volleyball team picked up its
first Mid-American Conference win of the season by sweeping Miami
(Ohio), 25-20, 25-21, 25-19, on Saturday night at Victor E. Court during
NIU’s homecoming weekend as the Huskies (7-10, 1-3 MAC) out-blocked
the RedHawks (8-8, 3-1) 15 to seven and stayed ahead of Miami for nearly
the entire match.
“This is just a great win for the Huskies tonight,” said NIU head
coach Ray Gooden. “I thought we played a really nice team match.”
NIU took control of the net early in the first set by taking a 5-0 lead
with help from three straight blocks. Sophomore Kristin Hoffman
(Batavia, Ill./Batavia) and freshman Mary Kurisch (LaCrosse, Wis./West
Salem) teamed up for the first block. Then Kurisch and senior Meagan
Schoenrock (Sylvania, Ohio/Northview) paired up for the final two
blocks.
“Miami is such a strong program and we feel like they do their best
work at the net, both attacking and blocking,” Gooden said. “It was
nice for us to challenge one of their strengths early in the match with
our blocking.”
The Huskies then took an 8-1 lead after a Schoenrock kill, but Miami
countered with a 10-3 run to knot the score, 11-11. Several plays
later, NIU broke a 15-15 tie with a 5-0 run that helped the Huskies take
the set.
In the second set, NIU opened up an 11-7 lead after a Miami attack
error and that was enough of a cushion for the Huskies to maintain to go
up 2-0 at the break.
With the score tied 11-11 in the third set, the Huskies broke away with
a 6-1 run that included back-to-back aces by Hoffman. NIU was then able
to ride the momentum to claim the victory.
“I thought Kristin, on the whole, did a really good job of leading
the team tonight,” Gooden said. “This was probably her best match
she has played for us so far in her career here.”
Hoffman had a well-rounded night with 33 assists, nine digs, three
kills, three aces and two blocks, while Schoenrock led the Huskie
offense with 12 kills. Additionally, senior Cassie Yates (LaPorte,
Ind./LaPorte) hit .615 with eight kills on 13 swings with no errors.
“I thought Cassie did a real nice job of getting back to the level
that we saw her at earlier in the season,” said Gooden. “I also
thought our two rookie middles, Kaitlyn Pascus and Mary Kurisch, did a
really nice job today.”
On defense, Kurisch and Schoenrock led the way with four blocks apiece.
Sophomore Allison McGlaughlin (Morton, Ill./Morton) led the team with
15 digs, while junior Maddie Hughes (St. Charles, Ill./North) added 14.
The Huskies return to Victor E. Court next weekend for a pair of
conference matches. First up will be a 7 p.m CT contest against Central
Michigan on Friday and then NIU will face Eastern Michigan at 7 p.m. on
Saturday.
-NIU-
NIU picks up first conference win
DeKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois volleyball team picked up its
first Mid-American Conference win of the season by sweeping Miami
(Ohio), 25-20, 25-21, 25-19, on Saturday night at Victor E. Court during
NIU’s homecoming weekend as the Huskies (7-10, 1-3 MAC) out-blocked
the RedHawks (8-8, 3-1) 15 to seven and stayed ahead of Miami for nearly
the entire match.
“This is just a great win for the Huskies tonight,” said NIU head
coach Ray Gooden. “I thought we played a really nice team match.”
NIU took control of the net early in the first set by taking a 5-0 lead
with help from three straight blocks. Sophomore Kristin Hoffman
(Batavia, Ill./Batavia) and freshman Mary Kurisch (LaCrosse, Wis./West
Salem) teamed up for the first block. Then Kurisch and senior Meagan
Schoenrock (Sylvania, Ohio/Northview) paired up for the final two
blocks.
“Miami is such a strong program and we feel like they do their best
work at the net, both attacking and blocking,” Gooden said. “It was
nice for us to challenge one of their strengths early in the match with
our blocking.”
The Huskies then took an 8-1 lead after a Schoenrock kill, but Miami
countered with a 10-3 run to knot the score, 11-11. Several plays
later, NIU broke a 15-15 tie with a 5-0 run that helped the Huskies take
the set.
In the second set, NIU opened up an 11-7 lead after a Miami attack
error and that was enough of a cushion for the Huskies to maintain to go
up 2-0 at the break.
With the score tied 11-11 in the third set, the Huskies broke away with
a 6-1 run that included back-to-back aces by Hoffman. NIU was then able
to ride the momentum to claim the victory.
“I thought Kristin, on the whole, did a really good job of leading
the team tonight,” Gooden said. “This was probably her best match
she has played for us so far in her career here.”
Hoffman had a well-rounded night with 33 assists, nine digs, three
kills, three aces and two blocks, while Schoenrock led the Huskie
offense with 12 kills. Additionally, senior Cassie Yates (LaPorte,
Ind./LaPorte) hit .615 with eight kills on 13 swings with no errors.
“I thought Cassie did a real nice job of getting back to the level
that we saw her at earlier in the season,” said Gooden. “I also
thought our two rookie middles, Kaitlyn Pascus and Mary Kurisch, did a
really nice job today.”
On defense, Kurisch and Schoenrock led the way with four blocks apiece.
Sophomore Allison McGlaughlin (Morton, Ill./Morton) led the team with
15 digs, while junior Maddie Hughes (St. Charles, Ill./North) added 14.
The Huskies return to Victor E. Court next weekend for a pair of
conference matches. First up will be a 7 p.m CT contest against Central
Michigan on Friday and then NIU will face Eastern Michigan at 7 p.m. on
Saturday.
-NIU-
