DeKALB — The weight of two straight losses made NIU volleyball see red facing Western Michigan University on Tuesday night. The Huskies (10-4, 3-2 MAC) outlasted the Broncos (6-12, 3-2 MAC) in the long rallies, refusing to let the ball hit the floor.
Despite the Broncos being the first to 20 points across three sets, the Huskies continuously found ways to shut them down. With their first win over WMU since 2022, NIU took down the Broncos in a 3-0 sweep.
“We had a tough weekend, and we talked a lot about what we need to do in practice and how to respond,” head volleyball coach Sondra D’Amore said. “They did. They found a way to compete and play the level of play that we know how to play. That’s my focus, win or loss, we just want to play to our potential. It’s never going to be perfect, that’s something we need to learn as a group, but we’ve got to find a way to win as a team. That’s what they did tonight.”
BUILT TO LAST
The Huskies remain undefeated when winning the first set, going 6-0. This was also the first time NIU has beaten WMU in straight sets since 2015.
“Smarter not harder has been our focus,” D’Amore said. “When you’re in those long rallies, and you’re getting tired, it’s really easy to just want to go for it. Those are the moments we have to be smarter with the ball. I thought we figured that out there. Winning a long rally is a ton of momentum in our sport, and the fans were incredible in those long rallies. I think we could feel that in there, and that definitely helped us tonight.”
Sophomore outside hitter Emma McCartney put up her first career double-double, leading the match with 16 kills and making 15 digs. She also picked up 1 service ace and helped the defense with 3 block assists.
“My teammates help me stay focused,” McCartney said. “When everyone is doing their job, it makes your job easier. When we were putting up good blocks, I was able to find good positions to play defense. My setters and passers put me in a good position to score, so honestly, it’s because of my teammates.”
Sophomore outside hitter Ava Grevengoed also stood out on offense, nailing 12 kills. On defense, she made 9 digs. With three rally-filled sets, Grevengoed said communication pushed the Huskies past the Broncos.
“One of our things in practice is 20-20, all mentality,” Grevengoed said. “I think that’s something that we really dug deep in on the court. There’s a ton of adrenaline and a ton of everything talking on the court. That really helped us finish.”
NIU’s setter duo totaled 42 assists in the match. Redshirt junior setter Kylie Schulze led with 23 assists and contributed 2 kills. Sophomore setter Ella Strausberger followed with 19 assists, and she landed 1 kill. Schulze and Strausberger added three and two digs, respectively, and the pair tacked on one service ace each.
BLOCKS FOR DAYS
WMU showcased a scrappy offense, but NIU put up a wall at every turn. The Huskies jumped 14 block assists and two solo blocks to keep the Broncos from getting hot.
Sophomore middle blocker Rylea Alvin shut down WMU’s spikers, driving the defense with five block assists and one solo block. She also logged 4 kills and 1 assist to help the offense. Freshman outside hitter Naomi Dowd and junior middle blocker Autumn Flynn matched Alvin with 4 kills and jumped three and two block assists, respectively.
Sophomore libero Jordyn Tynsky kept the Huskies in the match from the floor, leading the team with 16 digs. Dowd and Flynn each made two digs as well. Going back on the road to face Bowling Green, McCartney said it’ll come down to the team’s stability.
“The key is consistency for us,” McCartney said. “When we keep it consistent, we play our best. That’s just one thing we have to follow, especially staying together. If we love each other on the court, in practice and off the court, that consistency stays. That’s how we get these wins.”
UP NEXT
The Huskies head back on the road to tackle Bowling Green State University at 5 p.m. Thursday in Bowling Green, Ohio. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ with live stats provided on SIDEARM Sports.
