With NIU leading 29-19 in Game 3, the chants of NIU rattled through Chick Evans Field House Tuesday night, while the players fed off the crowd’s energy.

“The crowd was incredible,” said outside hitter Tenisha Wilkins. “When I was going back there to serve [with the game on the line] it was hard to zone everything out. I was just trying to breathe and relax, but it was really great the energy the crowd brought.”

Decked out in its Halloween best, the NIU crowd served as a seventh man for NIU in its defeat over Iowa.

With students dressed up in costumes ranging from Gumby and his sidekick Pokey to Winnie the Pooh’s Tigger, the crowd helped on a day when the Huskies’ first two games went down to the wire.

“The Halloween game we always look forward to every year,” said outside hitter Carrie Blankenship, “because people just act crazy and dress up.

“The crowd is such an influential factor in our games. People were on their feet and it was so loud in here you could barely hear anyone on the court.”

Providing a spark under the tails of the Huskies, as they pulled through in crunch time and swept the Hawkeyes in their rescheduled game — because of the Sept. 11 attacks, the Huskies continued with their flamboyant play and antics.

While many in the crowd were hooting and hollering, the NIU players on the bench followed suit. Sophomore Brooke Dodson could be found on the sidelines waving her towel encouraging the NIU faithful.

According to Wilkins, the crowd was a big boost and gave the Huskies a true home court advantage.

“[The crowd] helped a lot,” Wilkins said. “It really helps at home when you know you have your whole crowd out there rooting for you.”

Huskie coach Todd Kress, felt that the fans proved invaluable for the Huskies in their win.

“It was crazy here tonight and it was fun,” said Kress, “that’s the kind of atmosphere that we need here down the stretch.”