Opening games and season debuts are over … now it’s full speed ahead.

With the NIU volleyball team’s first home match just under its belt and a 2-1 showing at the Colorado State Tournament last weekend, the Huskies (3-1) pack up for road matches against Eastern Illinois University and Bradley University.

As a special promotion, NIU travels to Jacksonville Friday to play EIU at the Jacksonville High School. The game is meant to create more interest and get people excited about college volleyball, head volleyball coach Pete Waite said.

From Waite’s account, the crowd should not find that difficult.

“Eastern is always a real scrappy, defensive team who keeps the ball in play,” Waite said. “We’re supposedly playing in a neutral site, but (EIU) has a couple players from (JHS) so the home court advantage will probably be more than if they really were at home.”

The Panthers, who have six letterwinners returning from their 16-19 season last year, post more of a challenge on paper than NIU’s Saturday opponent—Bradley University.

The Lady Braves were 9-27 for the 1990 season with eight of those players returning. Bradley is presently 0-4, but Waite is wary about one of its key players, 6-1 Blythe Zajakowski.

“Blythe Zajakowski is a player I coached during club ball and is a really strong player,” Waite said. “As a whole, Bradley has been struggling, but they do have the home court advantage.”

The Huskies are using these games and the ones already played to narrow in on areas of improvement.

“Even with four matches, we’re still not as solid as far as game play goes,” Waite said. “Right now we’re really trying to improve our steady play and stay strong against every team—good or bad.”