MACOMB, Ill. - The Fighting Leatherneck volleyball team heads north to DeKalb, Ill. Wednesday to face the Huskies of Northern Illinois for an in-state, nonconference tilt at 7 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT: The Fighting Leathernecks dropped their first match of the 2013 season to CEFCU Classic hosts Bradley last Friday, 3-1. WIU bounced back, however, and earned back-to-back victories a day later over Tennessee-Martin and Maryland-Eastern Shore. To view Friday's full recap, click HERE. To view Saturday's full recap, click HERE.

SERIES HISTORY: The two teams have faced one another 26 times with Northern Illinois leading the series, 16-10. The Huskies have defeated the Leathernecks the previous four meetings, and 11 of the last 12 contests. Western's lone win versus Northern Illinois in the past 22 years came on Sept. 6, 2005 when WIU downed NIU, 3-0.

A LOOK AT NORTHERN ILLINOIS: The Huskies enter Wednesday's match with a 2-2 overall record. NIU has played every match at home this season, and remains at home throughout its first seven matches. Mackenzie Roddy leads the Huskies in kills through four games with 59 (3.47 per set), while also tallying the most service aces with five (0.29 per set). Alexis Gonzalez owns a team-best 151 assists (8.88 per set), Justine Schepler has recorded a team-high 62 digs (3.65 per set), and Jenna Radtke and Sarah Angelos each own 17 total blocks (1.0 per set), a team-best.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM: Ann Miller was named to the CEFCU Classic All-Tournmant Team after she finished the weekend with 57 kills, a .417 hitting percentage, 34 digs, four service aces, and five blocks.

CAREER-BESTS: Mallory Gibson posted a new career-high last Friday (8/30) versus Bradley when she stuffed 10 total blocks. Bailey Kaloupek finished Saturday's match versus Tennessee-Martin with a career-high 19 digs. Ann Miller recorded a career-high 25 kills versus Tennessee-Martin on Saturday.

SCHOLOR-ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Ann Miller was named Papa John's Scholar-Athlete of the Week for her performance on the court and in the classroom. The honor is the second for Miller in her career.

THE SCHEDULE: Western's 2013 schedule breakdown: four tournaments made up of 12 matches, three additional non-conference contests, and 14 Summit League matches. The Leathernecks play eight matches at home in Western Hall or Brophy Hall, and 21 matches on the road.

THE ROSTER: The Fighting Leathernecks return nine players from a year ago, including two seniors. Setter Sarah Fetter returns after finishing second in The Summit League and 45th nationally in assists per set (10.88), and outside hitter Heather Smith begins her fourth year as a Leatherneck after finishing fourth on the team in kills a season ago (194/1.81 per set).

Western has five juniors returning, including two of its top three kill leaders in Samantha Fournier and Ann Miller. Fournier finished with a team-best 402 kills (3.65 per set) and was tabbed All-Summit League Honorable Mention, while Miller finished third on the team in kills with 279 (3.28 per set). Middle Blocker Mallory Gibson finished fifth on the team in kills (110/1.05 per set) and led the team with 82 total blocks. Defensive specialists Molly Murphy and Bailey Kaloupek each played in over 90 sets and recorded more than 130 digs.

A pair of sophomores round out Western's returners. Jordan Jackson played in 50 of the team's games and tallied 72 kills (1.44 per set), while Kaitlynn Novak participated in four sets and had 16 digs.

Six newcomers are welcomed to the team in middle blocker Melanie Miller (Chicago, Ill.), defensive specialist Kelly Bowe (Downers Grove, Ill.), defensive specialist Sarah Sikula (Bowling Green, Ohio), outside hitter Nicole Oestrike(New Boston, Mich.), Anne Corrigan (Royal Palm Beach, Fla.) and setter Kirsten Kuhl (Parkland, Fla.).

THE COACHING STAFF: Head coach April Hall enters her second season at Western and has hired a pair of new coaches. Laura DeBruler, who concluded her collegiate volleyball career at Illinois in 2010 is the Leathernecks' full-time assistant, while Bridget Murphy, who completed a decorated career at Western Illinois as a defensive specialist last fall is the team's graduate assistant.

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