In the biggest upset to take place this season, the NIU volleyball team swept Miami (OH) 25-20, 25-21, and 25-19.

“Anytime a school has a really great record, it’s a little intimidating,” senior middle blocker Cassie Yatessaid. “But I think that tonight we just came out with nothing to lose, and we did a great job.”

The Huskies (7-10, 1-3 MAC) came out strong in set one, proving to be a worthy opponent to the highly ranked RedHawks (8-8, 3-1 MAC). After receiving the first six points of the game, the Huskies were on fire, with a momentum that proved to be problematic to the visiting team.

Despite the quick and early lead, the RedHawks caught up at 11-11. Three tied scores later, Miami finally grabbed the advantage 15-14. It was, however, a short lived advantage, as the Huskies were able to tie it up on the next play after an attack error made by the RedHawks, and took hold of the lead once more after a kill by Meagan Schoenrock. Though they kept the game close from here, the Huskies maintained the lead for the rest of the game, and won 25-20.

Set two opened slower for the Huskies, with the RedHawks right on their tail. NIU was unable to pull ahead the way it did in the first set, but always managed to stay one step ahead of Miami.

Though the RedHawks tied it up at 2-2, they would never tie it up again, and never took the lead for themselves. Yates launched the final kill that won the game for the Huskies 25-20.

Despite the final score, set three proved to be the closest of all three sets. The two schools battled it out hard in the beginning, each hoping to gather some momentum and pull ahead.

Points were traded back and forth until the score reached 11-11, the ninth tie of the game. It was then that the Huskies went on a five point run, the largest run of the set. In the final moments of the game, NIU setter Kristin Hoffman was able to throw off the opposition twice by setting the ball to the other side of the court instead of setting to a teammate for the kill.

“Hoffman did a great job tonight leading our team,” NIU head coach Ray Gooden said.

Finally, a successful kill by Allison McGlaughlin ended the game 25-19, and won the Huskies the match.

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