DeKALB | After seven-straight away matches, the NIU volleyball team will finally get a break from the road.

The Huskies will have their first individual home match when they host Illinois-Chicago at 7 p.m. tonight on Victor E. Court.

“It’s nice for us to sleep in our beds after a long road stretch,” said NIU coach Ray Gooden.

NIU (6-3) is coming off a second place finish at the UConn Toyota Classic, where it beat its first two opponents and lost to eventual champion and tournament host Connecticut.

UIC (4-7) will have to find an answer for MAC West Player of the Week Kate McCullagh.

The senior middle blocker averaged 6.67 kills per game, posting 40 total kills, and had 5 total blocks in the tournament. McCullagh also was named to the all-tournament team.

Gooden hopes a two-day break between matches will be enough for the Huskies.

“It’s a different schedule,” Gooden said. “I hope we learned from our first mid-week match against Illinois State and the players are prepared for that.”

The Horizon conference Flames are led by two All-Conference players in senior middle hitter Ambria Springer and junior outside hitter Katarina Nedeljkovic. Last weekend, the Flames went 1-2 at the Blue Raider Bash in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

Gooden said the match has developed into a good in-state rivalry because some of the players have played together in high school or club volleyball.

“It’s a big rivalry,” Gooden said. “The girls are excited and we know UIC is.”

Andrew Hansen is the NIU volleyball beat reporter for the Northern Star.