Northern Kentucky University Athletics

Photo gallery | Box score

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – If the Northern Kentucky University volleyball team needed a signature victory to secure a berth in the upcoming NCAA Division II Tournament, the Norse claimed it Friday night with a five-set thriller over nationally ranked Missouri-St. Louis.

NKU rallied from a 2-1 deficit in sets and knocked off Missouri-St. Louis, which entered the match ranked 21st nationally in the NCAA Division II poll. The Norse pulled out the win by scores of 19-25, 25-14, 18-25, 25-23, 17-15 in Regents Hall.

Freshman Katie Sommer finished with 18 kills and a .467 hitting percentage as NKU improved to 19-12 overall, 9-4 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Missouri-St. Louis lost its second straight match and dropped to 19-6 overall, 10-3 in the GLVC.

Shelby Buschur added 14 kills and attacked at a .407 clip for NKU, which is ranked seventh in the latest NCAA Division II Midwest region poll. The Norse hit .529 in the final set to knock off a nationally ranked opponent for the first time this season in nine attempts.

Noelle Peterson added 13 kills as NKU upped its lead to 19-3 in the all-time series against Missouri-St. Louis. The Tritons, ranked sixth in the Midwest Region poll, are now 0-10 all-time in Regents Hall.

Missouri-St. Louis held a 23-22 lead in the fourth set, but Peterson rallied NKU with three straight kills to give the Norse a 25-23 victory. The Tritons owned match point in the fifth set at 14-13, but Peterson again responded with a kill to tie the stanza at 14-all. With the score tied at 15-all, Sommer gave NKU a 16-15 advantage with a kill.

NKU wrapped up the victory when two Missouri-St. Louis defenders watched an attack by Gennie Galfano hit the court for the final point and a 17-15 final.

NKU attacked at a .293 clip for the match as setter Jenna Schreiver finished with 56 assists. Missouri-St. Louis hit .318 as a team for the match.

Kylee Tarantino led the NKU defense with 20 digs, while Schreiver finished with nine digs. Shelby Crawford paced Missouri-St. Louis with 18 kills and a .556 hitting percentage.

NKU can clinch its 18th consecutive 20-win season by defeating Missouri S&T at 3 p.m. Saturday in the home finale. The Norse will then head to the GLVC Tournament, which will be held Nov. 12-14 at Romeoville, Ill.

Lewis clinched the No. 1 seed and right to host the GLVC Tournament with a win at Rockhurst on Friday night. The winner of the GLVC Tournament receives an automatic berth in the NCAA Division II Tournament.