Everybody goes to the doctor once in a while to get a check-up, and it’s no different with sports teams.

A check-up was what the NIU volleyball team got as it hosted its fourth annual Salvani Playdate at the NIU Recreation Center Saturday.

The atmosphere was relaxed all day, but you wouldn’t know it from witnessing the intensity on the courts.

It was the Huskies’ first action this spring as they participated in matches against Lewis, Loyola Chicago, Winona State and St. Joseph’s over the course of the day.

The current NIU team wrapped up the day against a team of NIU alumni.

One of the biggest changes that fans of the team noticed was junior Meagan Schoenrock, whose 4.33 kills a set this fall ranked her 17th in the nation, was playing a full rotation. During the season, Schoenrock typically played only in the front row, but the All-MAC performer has been working to improve defensively and serving.

“Our goal this spring is to make our team more complete so players are more complete and not just specialized,” said NIU head coach Ray Gooden. “So maybe [people] saw Meagan [Schoenrock] as a front-row only player before; we’re trying to have her play all the way around, and the spring is a time where we can work on that.”

Schoenrock looked better on the defensive side of things, holding her own digging the ball.

Attacking the ball out of the back row also seemed to come just as naturally to the junior as she was able to rack up kills with ease.

The Huskies showed much of their improvement on the offensive side as junior setter Amanda Tadla was making more athletic, accurate passes than she had seemingly all season.

Sophomore Dani D’Ambrose impressed the most, however, as the outside hitter showed progress in every facet of her game.

“There’s a lot we expect out of Dani [D’Ambrose], and she’s starting to show some of it,” Gooden said. “She’s got to continue to move at a pace right now that’s faster than what her age is. I think she’s doing some things now we were looking for her to do freshman year, so it’s positive what she’s doing.”

It was the offense that led the Huskies to a victory in the alumni game as NIU took the three-set match, 28-30, 25-22, 25-21.

Schoenrock led the Huskies with 15 kills against a team featuring former NIU standouts such as Kate McCullagh and Megan Markowski.

“Considering that we had our defensive specialist setting in the last set, I don’t think they should be gloating,” Markowski joked. “Plus, they were boring. We were fun. They need to make volleyball more exciting. Fun lost today.”