After defeating Oakland in three quick games on Tuesday, the volleyball team will travel to DeKalb, Ill. tonight to take on Northern Illinois University.
The Falcons are currently off to their best start since the 1991 season, in which they finished with a 29-5 record.
“We went 15-1 in the MAC,” said head coach Denise Van De Walle. “We won the MAC, won the MAC tournament and went on to the NCAA tournament.”
Van De Walle said that it feels great to be off to such a great start, but it?s still early in the season.
“Northern Illinois will be more on the lines of the Western Michigan match,” Van De Walle said.
The Falcons beat the Broncos in three matches Sept. 21. They will try to do the same thing against the Huskies.
“We won in 2000 [against NIU] and it was that match that turned our season around,” said Van De Walle. “We won in four. In 1999 we played Northern Illinois here and won in three.”
The last two times BG faced the Huskies at home, they won. On the road is a different story, however. BG traveled to Illinois in 1997 and 1998 and lost. The last win Van De Walle could find in Illinois was 1989.
The Huskies have been in and out of the Mid-American Conference, so the Falcons have not had to chance to compete against them every year.
“Northern Illinois is a completely different team than an Oakland,” said Van De Walle. “They are going to be far more physical, far more athletic, [have] a faster offense [and] a much better setter. Better athletes are going to be on the floor. We are going to be challenged.”
The Huskies have a 4-4 record, while the Falcons are 7-1. This will be NIU?s first MAC match of the season and BG’s second.
In order to prepare for this match Van De Walle is working on several aspects of the game.
“We working on our defense,” said Van De Walle. “We need to work on blocking and our floor defense plus serving. Ball control has been something that we’ve done well. That has helped us beat a Western and that has helped us beat a Tennessee. Ball control is really important to me along with playing a fast and aggressive style of play.”
The Falcons have been able to control the ball so far this season and they hope that will remain the same for the rest of the season, especially against the Huskies.
“It will be a tough match and probably go five games,” sophomore Sara Sikorski said. “We’re a pretty good team, so I think we’ll win.”
Van De Walle said, “I think it’s going to be a really good match-up for us. I fell strongly that the conference champions need to win on the road. We are only one match into the MAC season, so I can’t say this is a do-or-die match. All the matches are important. To come out on top you are going to have to win on the road.”
