The one-win NIU volleyball team has one set of tests remaining in the non-conference portion of its schedule, starting with a head-to-head against the No. 25-ranked team in the nation.
NIU is set to begin action at the UNI Tournament hosted by the University of Northern Iowa Panthers on Friday. The four-team tournament – also featuring the No. 25 ranked University of Dayton Flyers and the University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks – will span three days and be held at the McLeod Center in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
“We’re going to be pushed,” said NIU volleyball head coach Sondra Parys after Tuesday’s practice. “We’re going to see a lot of live arms. We’re going to see scrappy defense, and it’s exactly what we’re going to see in MAC (play). I’m excited to see it kind of come to life and how they step up to that level this weekend.”
THINK ON YOUR FEET
Parys recently challenged her team to “think outside of the box” and make adjustments during matches without needing instruction from the coaching staff.
“I think I have a group of very intelligent learners who want to do exactly as we’re saying,” Parys said. “And sometimes the best athletes are those who can think outside of the box and just find a way to win.”
Parys said the objective of her challenge is to ensure her players “don’t get beat the same way twice.”
THE STATE OF THE HUSKIES
NIU plays in the Midwest for the second consecutive weekend after losing all of its three matches at the DePaul Invitational. Senior opposite/outside hitter Emily Dykes logged 39 kills to lead the Huskies’ weekend effort. In NIU’s backcourt, junior libero Crew Hoffmeier had 57 digs between all three matches.
Hoffmeier leads the MAC in digs for the second straight week, averaging 5.18 per set. Her mark is also good for 16th in the nation. Junior middle blocker Charli Atiemo is currently sixth in the league in hitting percentage after recording .313 hitting across 39 sets played.
KNOW THE ENEMY
Dayton enters the tournament with an 8-2 overall record – the best among all teams in the pool. The Flyers won all of their matches during their home tournament this past weekend, defeating the University of Illinois Chicago, Wright State University and Ball State University. Redshirt junior outside hitter/libero Lexie Almodovar is averaging a team-best 4.32 kills per set while sophomore defensive specialist/libero Karissa Kaminski leads the Flyers with 4.29 digs per set.
North Dakota brings a 3-6 record into the weekend. The Fighting Hawks earned two wins in their home tournament this past weekend, downing the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and the University of Montana. Sophomore outside hitter Paige Barber sits atop UND’s kills leaderboard with 2.59 kills per set. Sophomore libero/defensive specialist Izzie McCormick leads the defense with an even 3.00 digs per set. North Dakota will be a first-time opponent for NIU, making it the third-straight weekend that the Huskies will face a new adversary.
Northern Iowa prepares for its first home stand while sitting at a 4-5 start. The Panthers went 1-2 at the Texas A&M Invitational, besting Texas Christian University before being swept by Texas A&M University and Utah State University. Junior outside hitter Kira Fallert paces UNI with 3.45 kills per set. Junior defensive specialist/libero Erin Powers holds a team-high 4.67 digs per set.
NIU will kick off the weekend with a pair of matches on Friday. The Huskies will face Dayton at 11 a.m. CT before taking on North Dakota at 5 p.m. CT. NIU will draw its stint in the Hawkeye State to a close with a contest against Northern Iowa at 2 p.m. CT Saturday. Each match will have live statistics available on SIDEARM Sports.
