This is it.

NIU will wrap up the home portion of its 1992 schedule this weekend. Tonight, the University of Illinois-Chicago Flames will invade Chick Evans Field House. First serve is slated for 7 p.m.

On Saturday, the Valparaiso Lady Crusaders provide the opposition. First serve at the fieldhouse is once again 7 p.m.

The Huskies (19-5) bring an unblemished Mid-Continent Conference record (10-0) and a 10-match conference winning streak into the weekend.

This is the first time the Huskies have seen either UIC or Valparaiso this season. Ironically, the last time NIU lost to a Mid-Continent Conference opponent was Oct. 20 last year against the Lady Crusaders.

NIU is coming off of a grueling weekend which saw it play five matches in three days. However, head coach Pete Waite feels his ball club is well rested.

“We gave the girls Monday off and even rested some of the starters on Tuesday and Wednesday,” Waite said. “We will get back at it today (Thursday) and have ourselves ready not just physically, but mentally as well.”

UIC brings an 8-2 conference record which is good for third place. The Flames are led by senior middle blocker Jen Wenzel. She is second in the Mid-Con behind NIU’s Kori Schauer with a .363 hitting percentage.

Sophomore Susan Morris also paces the Flames attack. She is third in the conference with a 3.90 kills per game average.

Valparaiso will come in Saturday night to play its third match in four days. The Lady Crusaders dropped a hard-fought, four-set non-conference match to Butler on Wednesday night.

Valparaiso takes a 5-5 conference mark to Macomb to battle Western Illinois before coming to DeKalb.

The Lady Crusaders are led by freshman sensation Lauren Struss. She is second in the conference in kills per game behind fellow teammate Kathy Harrison. Struss is also fifth in the conference in hitting percentage at .291.