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Northern Star

Northern Illinois University’s student media since 1899

 

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The Student News Site of Northern Illinois University

Northern Star

The Student News Site of Northern Illinois University

Northern Star

NIU senior opposite/outside hitter Emily Dykes (12) and sophomore middle blocker Savanah Brandt (18) team up to block over the net against the University of Akron on Oct. 27. The Huskies ended their season with a 3-0 loss to Western Michigan on Wednesday. (Tim Dodge | Northern Star)

Volleyball routed by Broncos in home finale

By Skyler Kisellus, Senior Sports Reporter | November 16, 2023

DeKALB – Eighty-two days after the 2023 campaign got its start, the NIU volleyball team completed the season’s final act Wednesday. Cheers and whistles from the 625-person crowd permeated through Victor E. Court as two squads in very different...

NIU senior setter Ella Mihacevich (15) jumps to serve the ball during NIU volleyball's match against the University of Akron on Oct. 27. The Huskies are preparing to close out their season against first-place Western Michigan on Wednesday. (Tim Dodge | Northern Star)

Volleyball to finish season against regular season champs

By Skyler Kisellus, Senior Sports Reporter | November 15, 2023

The Huskies are at the finish line. After 29 matches, 112 sets and 4,867 rallies worth of volleyball, NIU’s regular season finale is here. Days removed from having its postseason aspirations fizzle out, the NIU volleyball team is back home to...

Members of the NIU volleyball team huddle during Saturday’s road match at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. The Huskies fell in five sets to close out their road schedule. (Bobby Ellis | Ball State Athletics)

Volleyball drops road finale

By Skyler Kisellus, Senior Sports Reporter | November 11, 2023

It’s Set 5 at John E. Worthen Arena in Muncie, Indiana, and NIU volleyball is on the cusp of victory in its 2023 road finale. Leading 6-3, NIU was positioned to pull off the road upset of MAC rival Ball State University, spoil the Cardinals’ Senior...

Sophomore outside hitter Nazli Güvener (17), celebrates winning a point with teammate junior outside hitter Nikolette Nedic (21), during Friday's match against the University of Toledo. The Huskies were eliminated from postseason contention after their 3-1 loss to Ball State on Friday. (Josephine Dunmore | Northern Star)

Volleyball thwarted in 4 at Ball State

By Skyler Kisellus, Senior Sports Reporter | November 11, 2023

The NIU volleyball team kicked off its final road series of the regular season with a performance that extended a streak and ended dreams. Unfortunately for the Huskies, their losing streak extended and postseason dreams ended. NIU’s (8-20, 6-10...

NIU graduate student right side hitter Isabelle Percoco hits the ball during a rally in the Oct. 27 match against the University of Akron. The Huskies fell in three sets as one of their seven consecutive defeats entering Friday’s series-opener against Ball State University. (Tim Dodge | Northern Star)

Volleyball braces for Ball State battle

By Skyler Kisellus, Senior Sports Reporter | November 10, 2023

DeKALB – Play smarter, not harder. The four words used by NIU volleyball head coach Sondra Parys to describe the goal for her squad in preparation for its final road trip of the regular season. The Huskies (8-19, 6-9 MAC) will travel eastbound...

NIU volleyball players celebrate after NIU junior middle blocker Charli Atiemo blocks the ball against the University of Akron on Oct. 27. The Huskies were swept by the Toledo Rockets on Saturday. (Tim Dodge | Northern Star)

Toledo spoils volleyball’s Senior Day

By Skyler Kisellus, Senior Sports Reporter | November 5, 2023

DeKALB – No. 2, No. 3, No. 12 and No. 15. Those were the jersey numbers of the NIU volleyball team’s seniors the players fought for on Senior Day. The Huskies (8-19, 6-9 MAC) brought fierce fight to the match but came up short in Saturday’s...

From left: NIU senior opposite/outside hitter Emily Dykes (12), junior middle blocker Charli Atiemo (11) and sophomore outside hitter Nazli Güvener (17) look on during Friday’s match against the University of Toledo at Victor E. Court. The Huskies fell in four sets to the Rockets, extending their losing streak to six consecutive matches. (Josephine Dunmore | Northern Star)

Huskies scorched by Rockets, lose sixth-straight

By Skyler Kisellus, Senior Sports Reporter | November 4, 2023

DeKALB – NIU volleyball’s struggles continue after the awaited matchup between first-year NIU volleyball head coach Sondra Parys’ Huskies and her alma mater, the University of Toledo, ended in NIU’s third consecutive home defeat. Toledo (11-14,...

Sophomore middle blocker Savanah Brandt (18) jumps to spike the ball over the net against the University of Akron on Oct. 27. The Huskies are looking to snap a five-game losing streak against Toledo this weekend. (Tim Dodge | Northern Star)

Huskies to host Rockets in final home weekend

By Skyler Kisellus, Senior Sports Reporter | November 3, 2023

The NIU volleyball team kicks off the final month of the regular season with its final weekend series played at Victor E. Court. NIU (8-17, 6-7 MAC) will host the University of Toledo (10-14, 8-5 MAC) on Friday and Saturday to close out its four-game...

Junior outside hitter Nikolette Nedic spikes a ball against the University at Buffalo on Saturday. The Huskies fell to the Bulls in four sets. (Sasha Norman | Northern Star)

Volleyball messes with Bulls, gets the horns

By Skyler Kisellus, Senior Sports Reporter | October 29, 2023

DeKALB – The NIU volleyball team’s valiant efforts in the final two sets of Saturday’s MAC duel weren’t enough to survive the offensive onslaught inflicted by its visitors. The Huskies (8-17, 6-7 MAC) plummeted to No. 9 in the MAC standings...

NIU defensive specialist/libero Jada Cerniglia serves the ball during Friday’s MAC battle between the Huskies and the University of Akron Zips. NIU was undone in three sets to extend its losing streak to four matches. (Tim Dodge | Northern Star)

Volleyball blanked by Akron in straight sets

By Skyler Kisellus, Senior Sports Reporter | October 28, 2023

DeKALB – Possession of the MAC’s final playoff seed has slipped through the grip of NIU volleyball, now fresh off its third sweep in four contests. The Huskies (8-16, 6-6 MAC) sustained their fourth-consecutive loss after falling in three sets,...

From left: Junior defensive specialist/libero Jada Cerniglia, senior setter Ella Mihacevich, junior libero Crew Hoffmeier, senior opposite/outside hitter Emily Dykes, sophomore middle blocker Savanah Brandt and graduate student outside hitter Katie Erdmann rejoice after a rally in NIU's homecoming matchup with the Eastern Michigan University Eagles on Oct. 13 at Victor E. Court. The Huskies will host the University of Akron on Friday and the University at Buffalo on Saturday in hopes of remaining undefeated at Victor E. Court. (Skyler Kisellus | Northern Star)

Huskies to host Zips, Bulls in homestand

By Skyler Kisellus, Senior Sports Reporter | October 27, 2023

NIU volleyball is more than halfway through MAC play and holds a soft grip of the final playoff seed as it prepares for battle with two of the country’s best serving squads. NIU (8-15, 6-5 MAC) will play host to the University of Akron (10-12, 5-6...

NIU graduate outside hitter Katie Erdmann serves the ball during the Huskies' Oct. 13 match against Eastern Michigan University at Victor E. Court. Erdmann joined the Huskies for her final season of college volleyball this fall after spending the past four years playing at the University of Southern Mississippi and the Florida Institute of Technology. (Skyler Kisellus | Northern Star)

Third time’s the charm: Erdmann’s journey to NIU

By Skyler Kisellus, Senior Sports Reporter | October 25, 2023

Head to Victor E. Court for a Tuesday morning NIU volleyball practice. Pay close enough attention between reps, and one might be able to witness the jocular antics perpetrated by graduate student outside hitter Katie Erdmann. One day, Erdmann might...