The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team defeated the host Northern Illinois Huskies, 3-1 (28-26, 26-28, 25-15 and 25-20) Saturday for its first Mid-American Conference win.
The Eagles are 13-3 and 1-1 in the MAC. The Huskies are 12-4 and 1-1.
Senior setter Ashley Mason recorded a double-double on the night with 44 assist and 10 kills, while Haley Stein had a season-high 34 digs. Rachel Iaquaniello had 13 digs, three aces and 18 kills. Paige Roback contributed 12 kills as she posted a team-high .370 hitting percentage. Erin Short also pitched with 11 kills (.360 hitting percentage), four blocks and four digs.
The first set was a back-and-forth tug-of-war with six lead changes. Mason led in the first set with 17 assists and one kill. Roback contributed six kills.
The Eagles got off to an early 4-2 lead before the Huskies fought back. NIU put together a run to take a 7-4 lead.
With the Huskies ahead 20-19, a kill by Roback would set the teams up for the tug-of-war.
NIU regained the lead after a kill by Lauren Wicinski, but Iaquaniello answered with one of her own to tie the score at 21.
An attack error by Wicinski and a kill by Roback put the Eagles up 23-21 until the Huskies put up two more points. The teams continued to go back and forth until back-to-back kills by Iaquaniello sealed the 28-26 win.
The Eagles were a little shaky in the second set and could not get it together in time to avoid the loss, but they came back in the third set to regain control of the match and never looked back, winning the third and fourth sets 25-15 and 25-20, respectively.
The Eagles were led in the third set by Kristen Baker, who had one ace, three kills and one block. Mason had two kills and six assists. Iaquaniello came around in the match and contributed one ace, three kills and one assist.
The fourth was led by Mason and Short. Mason had 10 assists, one block and an ace. Short was a key player, as well, with five kills, two blocks and one assist.
The Eagles will take on the Central Michigan Chippewas (7-5, 0-1) at 7 p.m. Thursday in Mount Pleasant.
