The NIU volleyball team has something its North Star Conference opponents will not have this weekend—a little rest and relaxation.

The Huskies (13-3) play host to Akron University Friday in a match moved up to 6 p.m. due to Homecoming festivities. NIU then welcomes Cleveland State University on Saturday with a regular match time of 7 p.m.

Both matches follow a nearly two week break from competition for the Huskies. During that time NIU has prepared for conference by mixing both relaxed and intense practice sessions, Huskie head coach Pete Waite said.

“I think the break was good for us,” Waite said. “Last week we backed off the intensity level and had fun while we worked on skills but this week we got back into team play and a more competitive mind-set.”

For Akron and CSU, it has been a different story. Akron (12-7) had a rough time in Virginia last weekend when they fell to Virginia Tech in four matches and Virginia in three, but came back to defeat Ohio University (3-0) on Sunday. The Lady Zips are led by 1990’s conference MVP and AVCA’s national kill leader, Jill McCreary-Dilyard. The senior outside hitter posts a .258 hitting percentage and 4.1 kills per game.

“The Akron match will definitely be the bigger of the two,” Waite said.

CSU, on the other hand, took on Robert Morris College this week where it upped it’s record to 9-13. The Vikings are struggling to better last year’s overall slate (6-32) as well as its 1990 eighth-place conference position (0-7).

Both games will be played at Chick Evans Field House with a Homecoming alumni match featuring over 20 former players at 4 p.m. Saturday. The match will include Cathy Holmes, the 1988 conference MVP as well as Jamie Steenblock—both of whom were members of the 1988 NSC championship team.