Oct. 25, 2005
Final Stats
DeKalb, Ill. -
Savannah Knowles had 19 kills and Kristin Dziubla had career-highs with 14 kills and seven blocks, but Illinois State's errors late in games helped Northern Illinois upset the Redbirds, 22-30, 32-30, 31-29, 34-32 in a non-conference volleyball match Tuesday at Victor E. Court in the Northern Illinois Convocation Center.
The Redbirds, 13-8, had more kills, 79-65, more digs, 76-62, but more hitting errors 35-28 as the Huskies, 12-13, beat the `Birds for the first time in four seasons. Illinois State served for game point in each game, winning game one, leading 29-28 in game two and game three, and 29-24 in game four.
But NIU rallied each time, much to the chagrin of Illinois State coach Sharon Dingman.
Sophomore middle blocker Kari Staehlin, the only player in the Missouri Valley's top 10 in both kills per game and hitting percentage, remained in Normal because she has been diagnosed with mononucleosis. Staehlin met with doctors on Monday and Tuesday and likely will miss the next three weeks.
The match featured a Dziubla sister on each side of the net as NIU's starting setter was Jenny Dziubla, younger sister of Illinois State's Kristin Dziubla, who subbed for Staehlin. Kristin Dziubla previous replaced Staehlin in Redbird wins over Drake and Creighton.
Kristin Dziubla made her presence felt late in game one with to help ISU take a 24-22 lead. Her third kill raised the ISU edge to 25-22 and put the sophomore middle at the service line, where she served out the game including a sizzling ace to the middle of NIU's serve receive for point No. 28.
Redbird hitting errors and NIU tips contributed to the Huskies claiming a 24-18 lead in game three, but the `Birds rallied for the next five points to get within one at 24-23. The teams traded points until a Savannah Knowles kill and an NIU hitting error got ISU a 28-28 tie. NIU responded with a Kate McCullagh kill to get to game point. A diving dig by Kristin Dziubla helped set up ISU's first point and an Mary Catherine Richmond kill put the `Birds ahead 30-29, but NIU got two Redbird hitting errors and a kill by McCullagh to win the game.
More hitting errors plagued the Redbirds in game three, but ISU managed to scramble back from a 27-24 deficit to tie thanks to a pair of Knowles kills. ISU served for game point first, but McCullagh broke a long rally with her eighth kill of the game to tie the score at 30-apiece. Two more ISU hitting errors gave NIU a 2-1 lead in the match.
ISU had a season-high 25 kills in game four and led 29-24 before Corinne Walsh collected three kills during a 5-0 NIU run. Knowles got ISU back to game point with a kill, but the Huskies held-off the `Birds and won the match.
"This team has to figure out where it's going to get some more kills," said Dingman, whose team is in second place in the Valley. "Fortunately for us, it's a non-conference match. It (the loss) hurts your ego and your guts and your heart, but not your conference record."
The Redbirds return home and return to Missouri Valley Conference action this weekend, meeting Evansville at 7 p.m. Friday and Southern Illinois at 7 p.m. Saturday, both in Redbird Arena.
