Box Score

The Northeastern volleyball team (8-2, 0-0 CAA) swept its second-straight team on Saturday afternoon, dispatching Elon in consecutive sets, 3-0 (25-16, 25-17, 27-25) as part of the Huskies' second game at the Duke Classic in Durham, N.C.

Another strong offensive effort from NU's outside hitters, including junior Kelly Bacon and senior Jasmine Marta powered the Huskies past the Phoenix at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Bacon turned in a match-best 11 kills while Marta's nine kills stand as a season best for the Cold Lake, Alberta, native.

Sophomore libero Natalia Skiba led the Huskies with 15 digs. The Westmont, Ill., native has guided Northeastern defensively in digs all 10 games but junior captain Janelle Tucker provided some sturdy backing with 13 digs, as well. Tucker added six kills as did sophomore Jillian Briner. Junior Nichole Kurz tallied eight kills and one block assist.

Despite being outblocked by Elon, 14-4, Northeastern's attack was too strong for the Phoenix to handle.

The Huskies breezed through the first set leading the entire way with only one tie early on, 1-1. Bacon's bash from Kamenova set the precedent and after Elon's Danielle Smith scored, the Huskies built a four-point lead with an 8-4 rally. With the Huskies leading 9-5, the Phoenix hailed for a timeout, but there was no stopping Northeastern in the first set.

Bacon and Briner stretched the lead to six, 12-6, with back-to-back kills. The Huskies' cushion swelled to nine points, 18-9, thanks to NU's defense forcing a few Elon errors. The Phoenix called a timeout at that point and forced even play down the stretch, but Northeastern's nine-point pad held through to the end of the first set, giving the Huskies a 25-16 first frame triumph.

Elon tallied the first point of the second set, but three-straight kills from Tucker, Bacon and Kurz put the Huskies ahead for good in the middle frame. Chanelle Smith's service error bestowed Northeastern with a five-point buffer early on, 8-3, but Elon scratched back into the second set to make it a one-point game, 11-10. Celia Eddy, who hit .438 on the day, fueled the Phoenix run with a pair of kills, but the Huskies amped up their game and drove home the second set.

Northeastern rattled off four-straight points thanks to two kills apiece from Kurz and Bacon. With the Huskies holding a 15-10 lead in the second, Northeastern won 10 of the next 17 points for the 25-17 second set win. Briner, Marta and Tucker provided the offense down the stretch before Kamenova closed things out with a service ace.

The third set came down to the wire. There was never more than two points between either club, but after head coach Ken Nichols called for timeout on the brink of a third set loss, 25-24, the Huskies battled back and won the following three points to claim the match.

Tucker's kill offset an Eddy point to bring the third set to 5-5. After Ana Nicksic tied it up with a smash at 8-8, Kurz and Bacon tried to swing momentum in NU's favor with consecutive kills, but Elon grabbed the next two points to continue the third-set standoff.

The Phoenix held either a one or two-point advantage down the stretch, but an Eddy attacking error put Northeastern ahead once again, 23-22, forcing Elon to call timeout. Elon won three of the next four points, but after Nichols' timeout, Northeastern used kills from Kurz, Marta and a finishing kill by Tucker to sweep its second-straight opponent in Durham, N.C.

Northeastern and Duke (7-1) will play for the Duke Classic title tonight at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Both teams swept their opponents and will square off as the marquee title match starting at 7 p.m. tonight.