The final two road battles of the season will decide seeding for the NIU volleyball team.

The Huskies (15-13,7-7) are currently in sixth place in the Mid-American Conference and are looking to stay there for the tournament. NIU could end up from sixth place to ninth place, but would rather grab a first-round home match with a win this weekend.

“We have to play two tough division matches,” said NIU head coach Ray Gooden. “So we completely control our own destiny.”

The Huskies have hosted four first-round MAC tournament matches in the past five years and won all four.

“It would be a very important component for us in trying to advance to Toledo for the semis, but every match is going to be difficult in the first round,” Gooden said. “Anybody we potentially can see in the quarterfinal will be one heck of an opponent.”

Tonight NIU is pitted against Toledo (13-14, 5-9) at 6:30 p.m. and will play Ball St. (11-18, 6-8) at 6 p.m. Saturday.

History is on the Huskies’ side in this situation. NIU has won both of its final two regular season matches for each of the past five seasons.

“We want to have good momentum going into the MAC tournament,” Gooden said. “The best place to start is your last weekend.”

Outside hitter Meagan Schoenrock directs the Huskie attack with 447 kills. Her 4.52 kills per set leads the MAC and is good for eighth best in the nation.

Sophomore Maddie Hughes guides the defense with 436 digs. Her 4.40 digs per set is sixth best in the MAC and could be an all-time NIU season best if she keeps in front of Gina Guide’s 4.36 from 2005.

The Huskies have defeated the Rockets in their past three meetings, including a 3-0 win earlier this season. Toledo has won its past three matches following two wins in its previous 12.

The Rockets are the second best team in the MAC with 159 serving aces and 1.61 aces per set.

“Toledo is a great serving team,” Gooden said. “We have to do our best to handle the ball very well on our side.”

NIU has beat the Cardinals in five out of the last six matches, but lost the only encounter this season 3-2. Ball State isn’t so hot, coming in on a three match losing streak.

“They’re going to be very hungry for a win and so are we,” Gooden said. “It matches up to be another war.”