After playing nine-straight matches without its starting lineup intact, the NIU volleyball team will be back to full strength when it hits the road this weekend.

The Huskies (5-10 overall, 0-2 MAC) begin the weekend against Buffalo at 7 p.m. today and finish at Kent State at 7 p.m. Saturday.

A foot injury and shoulder tendonitis shelved senior middle blocker Megan Markowski and freshman outside hitter Laura Baetzel after the Sept. 10 loss to Towson.

Markowski returned to the lineup Sept. 21 at Loyola with nine kills and three blocks, but Baetzel did not see her first extensive action until Tuesday’s match versus Chicago State. She totaled two kills and a block in the three-game sweep.

“I kind of forgot what it was like to have everyone healthy again,” coach Ray Gooden said. “It’s nice to have nine healthy people get some reps out there. The freshmen need it a lot, and Markowski needs it to get her form back because we’re going to need her blocking and defense.”

Buffalo (7-8, 0-2) will look to avenge last year’s first-round loss to NIU in the MAC tournament. Kent State (5-4, 2-0) is led by junior outside hitter Danielle Holt, who is seventh in the MAC with 3.77 kills per game.

NIU’s offensive load has fallen on Lobdell and sophomore middle blocker Kate McCullagh this season. Gooden said Walsh is due for a return to last year’s form when she was second on the team with a .242 hitting percentage and averaged a team-high 1.17 blocks per game. Walsh hit a team-high .357 with seven kills on 14 attempts versus Chicago State.

“We don’t want to just be dependent on two people,” Gooden said. “We got some really good stuff from Corinne [Walsh] against Chicago State. She can be a third threat for us and be another option on offense. We’re going to need the diversity.”