“Any updates?”

That was a constant question at the NIU volleyball team’s 3-1 victory over Loyola at Victor E. Court on Tuesday night.

With a few royal blue jerseys and shirts scattered throughout the gym, the Cubs game versus the Braves may have had something to do with the lowest attended volleyball home game of the season with 206 people.

NIU coach Ray Gooden noticed the small crowd: “The Cubs were playing, it wasn’t a full moon, I don’t know what it was,” said Gooden, while munching on some zucchini bread after the game.

The game was a reunion of sorts for Gooden, who was an assistant coach at Loyola from 1997-’01.

Gooden’s connection to Loyola has brought both teams closer together, said NIU outside hitter Brooke Dodson. Also, many of the Loyola players came to NIU open gyms in the summer.

After the game, the Loyola (6-10) and NIU (12-2) players congregated in the gym and throughout the hallway to keep catch up with each other and, in some cases, exchange e-mail addresses.

“Last year, our game against Loyola was more of a big deal because [Ray’s] move was still fresh,” said Dodson, who finished with a team-high 18 kills. “Not a lot of teams really like each other, but, outside of the game, I think we all really do like each other.”

Gooden said he felt the match wasn’t very crisp and said that it was played very tight to begin with. He attributes that to both teams being very familiar with each other and anxious to play.

The Huskies took the first game 30-28, despite being beaten statistically. Loyola hit .286 compared to NIU’s .263. Loyola also had 20 kills compared to NIU’s 15.

The Huskies responded by taking Game 2 with more ease in a 30-24 win.

Loyola won Game 3, 30-25, and NIU finished off the Ramblers with a 30-26 victory in the fourth game.

Loyola assistant coach Tim O’Brien said the game was big, but not because Gooden used to coach at Loyola.

“It’s a rivalry and a big game because they are 11-2, 12-2 now, and you want to beat them,” O’Brien said.

A friend of Gooden’s, O’Brien commented on “DJ Ray’s” off-the-court hobby of DJing. O’Brien said he has watched Gooden in action when he DJed parties.

“Ray’s a pretty good DJ, and he’s getting better, but he’s a better coach,” O’Brien said.

The Huskies know they wouldn’t want any other DJ, ahem, coach.

“I know they miss Ray a lot,” Dodson said. “And we are really glad to have him.”