DEKALB, Ill. – The University of Toledo women's volleyball team opened its weekend at Northern Illinois with a loss on Friday night, falling to the Huskies in four sets.
 
NIU won the first two sets to go up 2-0, and the Rockets were able to claim the third set to keep the match alive. The fourth set came down to the wire, and Northern Illinois was able to pull away to hand Toledo its fourth MAC loss of the season.
 
The Rockets' record now stands at 15-7 overall and 6-4 in league play. The Huskies are now 10-10 overall and 4-6 against MAC competition.
 
Junior Sina Uluave was terrific on Friday, recording her fourth straight double-double with 17 kills and 13 digs, while hitting .310. Sophomore Taylor Alt added 18 kills and 14 digs to register her eighth double-double. Freshman Elaine Redman collected 43 assists and a career-best six blocks and junior Olivia Vance contributed seven kills and five blocks.
 
Toledo and NIU will battle again on Saturday at 5:00 p.m.
 
1^st Set (29-27, Northern Illinois)
 
The first set was the closest of the night and needed extra time to come to a conclusion. Neither team led by more than two, but the Huskies led for the majority of the first frame. The Rockets were able to grab the lead late though, with Vance and Alt tallying back-to-back kills to make it 23-22. NIU tied it up at 23-23, then junior Rhyenne FIlisi's kill put UT ahead by one, 24-23. It would be the first of four set points in the first set for the Rockets, but they were unable to finish the Huskies off. Three straight Northern Illinois points clinched the first set at 29-27 and put Toledo behind 1-0 in the match.
 
2^nd  Set (25-22, Northern Illinois)
 
The Rockets led early, 10-6, but NIU went on a 6-1 run to turn a four-point deficit into a one-point lead. Momentum swung in Toledo's direction again though, as it would take a 20-17 lead and put itself in a position to tie the match. But the Huskies put together a late charge, scoring eight of the final 10 points in the second set to win 25-22 and go up 2-0.
 
3^rd Set (25-22, Toledo)
 
The third set started off well for the Rockets, who scored four of the first five points. Their lead grew to as many as seven, 21-14, which was the largest lead for either team to that point in the match. Northern Illinois once again surged ahead in the latter stages, but this time Toledo held off their opponents to win 25-22 and stay alive. Redman and sophomore Abby Erickson both had a team-best three blocks in the third set.
 
4^th Set (25-22, Northern Illinois)
 
Needing to win the fourth set to keep the match going, Toledo fought hard to tie the score at 16-16. That would be the last time UT would hold a share of the lead, however, as Northern Illinois scored the next three points to make it 19-16. The Huskies would not trail for the rest of the night and would eventually win the fourth set, 25-22.