The NIU women's volleyball team, heading into its last weekend of conference play on the road until the last weekend of the season, has rebounded after losing its first two road conference games.

"We've accomplished what we wanted to in the fact that we've dug ourselves out of a hole," said coach Todd Kress.

The Huskies (8-4 overall, 5-2 in the Mid-American Conference) have sent a message to the rest of the MAC the past two weeks by winning five in a row, three of which have been away from Chick Evans Field House.

This weekend NIU will travel by bus to Ohio and West Virginia, to battle conference foes Ohio and Marshall.

Last season Ohio defeated the Huskies at home, but NIU retaliated in the MAC tournament by scoring a 4-game match win. NIU defeated Marshall in its only meeting, a year ago, in three games.

For the weekend, balance, defense and blocking will be the focus for the Huskies. As always Kress stresses these to his players.

NIU has been extremely balanced, and that has helped them excel, said senior Carrie Blankenship, who credited her recent MAC player of the week award to the play of her teammates.

The players, as well as Kress, want to win both matches this weekend and come back to the fieldhouse for nine of the next 10 in good standing within the conference.

"We knew when looking at the schedule that seven of nine on the road would be very tough to start," said Kress. "I think we've put ourselves in a good position if we can finish the work that we've started and get these two this weekend."