DeKALB – The first showing of the 2023 edition of NIU volleyball hasn’t delivered in the win-loss record, but plenty of volleyball is left to be played for the Huskies to prove their worth.
Hosting two opponents at the NIU Convocation Center across three days, the Huskies were handed back-to-back-to-back losses. With the sweep, the Huskies have an 0-3 start for the first time since 2018.
Despite a weekend void of victory, there’s still hope to be had for a young program finding its way under first-year head coach Sondra Parys.
FIERCE FIRST SETS
In all three matches of the weekend, NIU has battled close with its opponents in the opening set. The Huskies lost their first sets against Chicago State by margins of four and two, respectively. In Saturday’s brush with Big Ten opponent University of Illinois, NIU conquered the opening set to take an early 1-0 lead.
While the box score doesn’t reflect kindly for the Huskies, the fact remains that NIU made its foes earn their score to open each match.
TRIAL BY FIRE
All three of the Huskies’ opening weekend losses involved defensive trials for NIU against high-powered hitting lineups.
As frustrating as the weekend losses have been, the opposing talent the Huskies faced can’t be understated. NIU’s front line faced a Chicago State hitting group that ranks 17th in the nation in kills per set. Additionally, the Huskies faced a Fighting Illini squad led by All-Big Ten First Team selection, senior outside hitter Raina Terry.
“I scheduled intentionally for us to get better,” Parys said after Sunday’s loss to Chicago State. “We want to get to the MAC Tournament, and we want to push there. In order to do that, you have to fight through some of this right now, as hard as it is.”
HITTING HIGHLIGHTS IN A SHAKY START
Though NIU has been on the receiving end of multiple vicious hitting performances, the Huskies have shown they can bring firepower of their own.
Having lost three-time kills leader Katie Jablonski and two other experienced hitters to graduation over the offseason, the state of NIU’s hitting prowess was left in the air.
Three games into the season, NIU has already had four players notch 10-plus kills in a match. The Huskies’ collective offensive performance doesn’t even include contributions from returning senior outside/opposite hitter Emily Dykes, who has been sidelined with a left hand injury to start the season.
Junior outside hitter Nikolette Nedic has paved the way with 44 kills over the weekend. Backup up the leading Huskie attacker is junior middle blocker Charli Atiemo, who currently clocks in at 35 kills on the season so far.
A SHOT AT REDEMPTION
NIU will resume action Friday for its first matchup of the Wildcat Classic. There, the Huskies will have a shot of taking down the University of North Carolina-Wilmington to start their first road tournament on the right foot. The match will commence at 3 p.m. Friday at John M. Belk Arena in Davidson, North Carolina.
