Sign up to receive Northern Star headlines in your inbox, delivered weekdays at 6 a.m.
Feedback? E-mail us.
 |
Do you think Cubs trade that brought Rich Harden to Chicago was the right move? |
Top-seeded Ohio ends volleyball's season
The NIU volleyball team’s season ended Friday, but not before NIU gave top-seeded Ohio a scare.
Trailing 2-1, the Huskies led late in the fourth game and threatened to take it to a fifth game before the Bobcats went on one of their trademark runs to give them the win, 30-23, 26-30, 30-25 and 30-25.
“In Game 4, we were playing them tight again but got caught in a bad rotation, and they scored their points at the end to pull it out,” NIU coach Ray Gooden said.
NIU played almost flawlessly during its second-game win. As a team, the Huskies hit for a .415 clip with only two errors. NIU used that solid attacking game to go on a 10-6 run to pick up the win.
“In both Games 1 and 2, we were really close at the media time-out,” Gooden said. “Unfortunately in Game 1, Ohio went on a run to end the game. In Game 2, we were able to make a run to win that one.”
Sophomore Meagan Schoenrock led NIU with 14 kills, while senior Laura Baetzel and junior Irene Johnson joined her in double-digits with 12 kills each.
Senior setter Mandi Caputo was solid all-around, going for 52 assists and 21 digs.
The Bobcats lived up to their hype on the offensive end with four players reaching double digit kills.
Melissa Griffin led all attackers with 21 kills, while Stephanie Blackburn went for 15 and 20 digs.
“I thought we put forth a great tournament effort,” Gooden said. “When you play in this tournament, yes, we were the eighth-seed, but all the records go out of the window. We went for it against a really great team. We really did. We put it all out there.”
» Next Sports Article: Football falls to bowl-bound Midshipmen