With the MAC Tournament here, the NIU volleyball team is ready for a run.

The sixth-seeded Huskies (17-13, 9-7) will be facing 11th-seeded Kent State (13-16, 3-13) at 6 p.m. at Victor E. Court in the first round of the Mid-American Conference tournament.

NIU has had the home court advantage all season with an 11-4 record and a 5-3 record against MAC opponents.

“It’s an honor for us to have home court,” said NIU head coach Ray Gooden. “Now we just have to do our best to defend it.”

The Huskies have fared well under Gooden at home in the first round.

Since Gooden took over in 2002, NIU has gone 4-0 in the first round, but also has an 0-5 record in the quarterfinals.

The Huskies enter the MAC tournament having won three out of their last four matches.

This was the sixth season in a row where NIU won at least its final two games of the regular season.

“I guess it ended well for us,” Gooden said. “Every team has to be at their best to be successful.”

Outside hitter Meagan Schoenrock leads the Huskie attack with 471 kills and a .233 hitting percentage. Her 4.40 kills per set ranks second in the MAC and fourteenth in the country.

Freshman Allison McGlaughlin is another key piece of the offense with 345 kills and 33 serving aces.

The setting duties have been split between freshman Kristin Hoffman and junior Amanda Tadla.

Hoffman has racked up 580 assists, while Tadla has 597 assists.

The Huskie defense is led by sophomore Maddie Hughes who has compiled 470 digs and 4.39 digs per set.

NIU has had the controlling advantage over the Golden Flashes with an all-time record of 21-7, including a 3-1 win this season in Kent.

KSU comes in to the tournament on a nine-match losing streak. The strongest part of the Golden Flashes is serving. Kent State ranks third in the MAC with 149 aces and 1.41 aces per set.

“They run a very dynamic offense,” Gooden said. “We have to be consistent, control the ball and communicate with each other.”

Sophomore Lauren Jones is the focal point of KSU with her 335 kills.

Jones’ 3.16 kills per set ranks eighth in the MAC, and her 44 aces and 0.42 aces per set ranks first.

“We are coming into this match with a high respect for Kent State,” Gooden said. “Record says one thing, but they are a good team.”