It’s been a week of stats and ranks for the NIU volleyball team.

Junior middle-blocker Kate McCullagh moved into first place in the nation in kills per game, at 5.98, after this weekend’s games, while teammate Gina Guide moved into fifth place all-time at NIU for career digs.

Guide, who sits at 1,196 career digs, needs only 259 more digs to tie the school record.

The junior libero recently passed Tenisha Wilkins (1999-2002), who had 1,157, and needs 23 digs to pass Becky Ramsey’s (1990-1993) 1,219.

Both Guide and McCullagh have had their statistical spotlight, but neither will be tallying stats today at Western Michigan.

“It’s nice,” said head coach Ray Gooden. “But they would trade it for team success.”

After a short two-game home stand, the Huskies (8-8, 1-1 MAC) will start a four-game road trip against the Broncos (8-4, 1-1) at 6 p.m. today.

The Huskies will head out to Kalamazoo this morning for their first MAC road game of this year.

“It’s tough playing anywhere on the road in the MAC,” said Gooden. “We feel we have to give quite a special effort to beat the Broncos at their place.”

In order to pull out a win, the Huskies know they have to play a quick-tempo game, while at the same time keep a steady rhythm within the team.

“Western Michigan is a fast team,” senior setter and Orland Park native Marie Zidek said. “We make it a goal every year to out-hustle them.”

“We need to be consistent,” freshman setter Jenny Dziubla said. “Playing like that all the time is key.”

Gooden agrees with Dziubla. He believes playing consistent volleyball will be the key in giving the Huskies the edge over the Broncos.

Zidek also regards the teams versatility as a weapon they did not have last year when they lost to the Broncos in three games.

“We’re not as one-dimensional as in the past,” Zidek said.