Sports
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Monday, Sept. 26, 2016
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Volleyball wins 5th consecutive match Danielle Brown Staff writer
DeKALB | Women’s volleyball began Mid-American Conference play Thursday against Western Michigan University and played again Saturday against Bowling Green State University.
Western Michigan Thursday’s match against Western Michigan (5-9, 0-1 MAC) saw the Huskies (10-4, 2-0 MAC) deliver a three set to one win, accumulating a season high of 10 service aces. Head Coach Ray Gooden was honored during the pregame of the first match for becoming the program’s all-time-wins leader on Sept. 2 when the team won against Bradley University in the first match of the North Dakota State University Classic. Lauren Zielinski, redshirt senior middle blocker, led with 13 kills, and sophomore middle blocker Meg Wolowicz had her first career double-double with 10 kills and 10 blocks. The first set against Western Michigan saw the Broncos get out to a 20-14 lead. NIU had a 5-point run to get within one point of the Broncos. Towards the end, Lauren Zielinski the set was tied Redshirt senior 23-23. Western middle blocker Michigan delivered back-to-back kills to take the first set 25-23.
Atlee Hargis | Northern Star
Sophomore middle blocker Meg Wolowicz (middle) celebrates a point during Saturday’s games against Bowling Green State University. The Huskies beat the Falcons 3-1.
Western Michigan started off the second set with attacking errors, and the Huskies created points off the errors as they led 12-5. The Huskies were then able to control the rhythm for the rest of the set, totaling 15 kills, and they won the second set 25-13. The Huskies brought the same play from the second set into the third. They easily won it on double digits again, 25-15, totaling 18 kills, four of those being from senior middle blocker Jenna Radtke. The final set saw NIU trailing
after Western Michigan scored the first point, but junior outside hitter Taylor Krage’s service put the Huskies ahead 6-1.
the set 25-19. NIU led Western Michigan in digs (52-51), blocks (8-5), kills (5647) and aces (10-4) for the match.
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Bowling Green State Saturday, the Huskies went up against Bowling Green (10-5, 0-2 MAC). NIU defense won the game in four sets totaling 15 blocks. The Huskies won the first two sets 25-14 and 25-15. The matches were filled with strong blocking from NIU. They registered five in the first set and six more in the second.
It was a really good team effort of applying pressure, and our serve really got us to that point.” Ray Gooden Head Coach
Senior outside hitter Mary Grace Kelly, Krage and Radtke added in four kills each to win
Women’s soccer wins two Krystal Ward Staff writer
DeKALB | Women’s soccer (34-2, 2-0 Mid-American Conference) beat both opponents over the weekend, starting with the Central Michigan University Chippewas (81, 0-1 MAC) 4-0 Friday at the Soccer and Track and Field Complex. NIU sophomore forward Taylor Sarver scored in the 14th minute on an assist by freshman defender Lauren Willis. It was the team’s first goal since Aug. 28 against Western Michigan University. Sarver scored again in the 21st minute on an assist by freshman forward Natalie Yaas. Before this game, the last time a Huskie scored two goals in a match was when junior midfielder Lauren Gierman did so Sept. 25 of last year. In the 35th minute, Chippewas senior midfielder Eliza Van de Kerkhove had a breakaway on a defensive mistake made Taylor Sarver Sophomore forward by the Huskies, but Kerkhove shot wide of the goal. Two minutes later, NIU freshman forward Abby Gregg increased the Huskies lead to 3-0 with her first goal of the season. NIU junior midfielder Allie Ingham opened up the second half with a goal in the 52nd minute. Yaas and junior forward Sammy O’Brien picked up assists on the play. The last time the Huskies scored
Bowling Green had control of the third set with one of their players going 11 for 18. Bowling Green totaled 18 kills, winning the third set 25-16. In the fourth set, the Huskies took the set back with three more blocks, and their third service ace of the night. The Huskies won the set 25-16. The Huskies had more digs than the Falcons (62-58) and committed less service errors (6-11). “It was a really good team effort of applying pressure, and our serve really got us to that point,” Gooden said. “I think our team was pumped to play this match against a really good team that’s probably top-two in the [MAC] East and maybe even two or three in the conference, so for us to do what we did [Saturday] at home was really special.” The Huskies will take on Central Michigan University 6 p.m. Friday in Mount Pleasant, Michigan and then travel to play Eastern Michigan University at 4 p.m. Saturday in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
Home games 7 p.m. Oct. 7 against Ball State University 7 p.m. Oct. 8 against University of Toledo 7 p.m. Oct. 14 against University of Buffalo 7 p.m. Oct. 15 against University of Akron
Men’s soccer looks to build off its 1st win
Milwaukee’s strong initial attack. “Milwaukee came out absolutely DeKALB | The Huskies look flying,” Luzzi said. “They were flyto carry the momentum into ing and were on top of us, but our Wednesday’s 7 p.m. matchup with guys defended well and didn’t give the Indiana University–Purdue up dangerous chances.” University Indianapolis Jaguars in The Huskies will have a few days Indianapolis. of practice before heading to IndiSoccer got its first win of the anapolis Wednesday. The coachseason Wednesday at the Uniing staff said they see the positive versity of Wisconsin- Milwausigns from the team and feel the kee Panthers. team was faced with a difficult The Huskies (1-4-2) outlasted schedule based on the quality of the Jaguars in a game that saw the competition to open the season. Huskies break the 1-1 tie with four minutes left in the game. We haven’t been far off “I’m so happy for our guys; we all season, and we had finally caught a break,” said Head a very difficult schedule Coach Eric Luzzi. “We have had a to start. We’re going to lot of those breaks go against us in keep plugging away and the first six games, so I was really try to do what we’ve happy that they persevered and been doing.” kept plugging away.” Eric Luzzi Head Coach The Huskies got the equalizing goal from sophomore midfielder Kevin Rodriguez, who tied the Luzzi said it is hard to measure game at one going into halftime. progress when playing against Later in the game, senior de- elite competition, but there is alfender Richways room to improve, particuard Hall broke larly on defense. the tie with “We haven’t been far off all four minutes season, and we had a very diffiremaining, cult schedule to start,” Luzzi said. and the Hus“We’re going to keep plugging kies prevailed. Eric Luzzi away and try to do what we’ve Hall had a Head Coach been doing.” goal and an assist in the contest. The Huskies will take on a JagLuzzi said the Panthers were uars squad which has been outfast out of the gates but applaud- scored 22-2 on the season by their ed his team for responding to respective competition.
Tom Burton Staff writer
Tyus Tuialii | Northern Star
Freshman forward Abby Greg attacks the defense in Friday’s 4-0 victory over Central Michigan at the Soccer and Track and Field Complex.
three goals in a match was Oct. 4, 2015, against Kent State University. The Huskies’ defense continued to be stout, and NIU junior goalkeeper Amy Annala picked up her fourth shutout of the season.
performance and thinks Friday’s performance is what the team is capable of playing. He said Sarver’s first goal gave the team a little ease. “[Sarver] is an absolute handful,” Ross said. “When you have that [scoring] mentality with her ability, it makes for a dangerous combina[Sarver] is an absolute tion. [It was] good to get her off in handful. When you have MAC play with two goals.” that [scoring] mentality The Huskies second match of with her ability, it makes the weekend was moved from 2 for a dangerous combinap.m. to noon Sunday because of tion. [It was] good to get inclement weather. her off in MAC play with The threat of inclement weathtwo goals.” er did not stop the Huskies from John Ross Head coach beating the Eastern Michigan University Eagles (2-6, 0-2 MAC) NIU head coach John Ross 2-1 at the Soccer and Track and said he was happy with his team’s Field Complex.
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