With one match remaining until the MAC tournament, the NIU volleyball team used solid defense and 31 kills from Tera Lobdell to defeat Toledo 3-1 Thursday at Victor E. Court.

The Huskies (12-18 overall, 7-8 MAC) won their third straight match and defeated the Rockets (16-12, 5-10) for the second time this season.

In Game 1, NIU committed only one attack error and achieved a .528 hitting percentage to jump out to a quick lead. The Huskies defense tallied eight blocks as well and took the game 30-19.

The Huskies added six more blocks to their total in Game 2 but also committed eight attack errors. Despite eight tied scores and two lead changes, NIU could not keep the momentum and lost 30-25.

NIU came out slow in Game 3, but seven kills from senior outside hitter Tera Lobdell helped the Huskies keep the game close. With her 20th kill of the match with the Huskies trailing 11-12, Lobdell became the MAC career leader in kills. Using tips and angle shots, Lobdell sparked the Huskies offense late in the game and NIU pulled away to win 30-24.

“Everyone stepped up their game,” freshman outside hitter Amy Ward said. “I think Kate had a stellar performance tonight. Corinne Walsh played great defense and Tera broke the MAC record too, so I’m pretty excited for her.”

Game 4 featured 11 tied scores and five lead changes as both teams would not allow the other to gain momentum. But 10 more kills from Lobdell and six from sophomore middle blocker Kate McCullagh kept NIU slightly ahead and a Toledo attack error ended the match at 31-29.

Toledo senior outside hitter Rachel Mohler, who registered a career-high 27 kills in her previous match, was held to seven kills and committed eight errors for a .042 hitting percentage.

“We really focused on her,” senior middle blocker Megan Markowski said. “We’ve been working real hard on our block lately and it shows when we keep big hitters like that in negative numbers.”

Lobdell paced NIU with her season-high 31 kills with McCullagh adding 17 kills and three blocks.

After Thursday’s win, the Huskies are tied for the No. 7 seed with Miami-Ohio for the MAC Tournament, which starts Nov. 16. The No. 4-8 seeds receive first-round home matches.

The Huskies’ last regular-season match will be against Miami-Ohio at 7 p.m. Saturday at Victor E. Court.