NIU volleyball (11-12, 4-10 MAC) could not repeat Friday’s comeback magic, falling 3-0 to the University at Buffalo Bulls (8-15, 5-9 MAC) and failing to secure the sweep.
“It’s tough to rely on two points to carry a match for you,” head coach Sondra D’Amore said. “A lot of positives but just a tough moment at the end.”
After a dominant 62-kill comeback win on Friday, NIU’s offense was not able to replicate the same firepower. Buffalo’s defense was able to keep the Huskie offense grounded for a large part of the game.
“Their outsides just continued to be great for them,” said D’Amore. “We had a hard time slowing them down. We knew that was going to be a thing but they just played a little bit better tonight.”
NIU dropped their first and second sets 25-16 and 26-24 respectively. They showed fight in the third, taking it to 34-32, but ultimately fell to the Bulls for the sweep.
Senior right-side hitter Alexa Hayes was one of the standouts of the match, leading the team with 3 block assists while also recording 9 kills. After the match, she emphasised the team’s resilience.
“The constant want to win – I never see this team give up,” Hayes stated. “The changes that are asked of us are made so quickly, and we do it without question. We have a lot of confidence in our coaching staff as well as ourselves.”
Sophomore outside hitter Ava Grevengoed led the team with 11 kills, while sophomore libero Jordyn Tynsky stood out on defense, leading the team with 15 digs. Sophomore outside hitter Emma McCartney and Grevengoed also made 6 and 5 digs respectively.
“We’re hungry for the next couple games,” said Tynsky. “We want to finish out strong no matter what that entails.”
With four games left in the season, the Huskies look to regroup and gain some momentum in Mid-American Conference play. Even after the loss, Hayes said her focus shifts to improvement and the road ahead.
“Just get back in the gym, get back to working, and move on to the next one,” Hayes said. “At 12 o’clock tonight, this game will be over and the next day will be here. It’s just about preparing for the next four matches that we have.”
UP NEXT
The Huskies take on the Ohio Bobcats at 6 p.m. Friday at the Convocation Center. Live stats will be provided on SIDEARM Sports.
