Match notes
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University volleyball team heads off for the first of two consecutive weekends on the road for Atlantic Sun Conference play. NKU will take on Mercer on Friday and close out the weekend on Saturday at Kennesaw State.
Fans can follow the game via live stats at nkunorse.com.
The Norse are coming off a split weekend in which they fell to Jacksonville in five sets before defeating North Florida by a 3-2 score.
Taylor Snyder recorded double-doubles in each match, while
Megan Wanstrath had a career-high 18 kills in the win over North Florida.
A WORD ABOUT MERCER: The Bears enter the weekend on a 1-22 record and are still seeking their first conference win. Emily Rochefort remains as the league's top defensive player, averaging 4.47 digs per set. Caroline Carlton and Molly Locke lead the Bears offense at 2.72 and 2.70 kills per set, respectively. Zoe Becton champions Mercer's net defense with 47 blocks on the year.
LAST TIME AGAINST MERCER: Four Norse finished with double-figure kill totals to lead NKU to a 25-16, 25-17, 22-25, 25-13 win over Mercer on Oct. 12.
Jayden Julian led NKU with 14 kills,
Jenna Ruble and
Keely Creamer slammed down 12 kills each and
Tristen Simpson finished with 10.
Taylor Snyder collected a double-double with 54 assists and 14 digs. Mercer was led by Carlton, who had 12 kills. NKU leads the all-time series against Mercer, 3-0.
A WORD ABOUT KENNESAW STATE: The Owls enter the weekend with a record of 10-13, including a 5-8 mark in A-Sun play, and are winners of two of their last three matches, including a five-set upset over Stetson and a straight-set blanking of Florida Gulf Coast. Kelly Marcinek is the reigning A-Sun Freshman of the Week, hitting .300 with 44 kills and 22 digs in a 2-1 week. Camille Pedraza is averaging four digs per set on the back row while Sara Metroka's 9.79 assists per set drive the offense.
LAST TIME AGAINST KENNESAW STATE: Julian and Ruble combined for 32 kills as NKU defeated Kennesaw State in five sets, 25-23, 18-25, 28-26, 15-25, 15-8, on Oct. 11. Julian finished with 18 kills while Ruble added 14 kills and attacked at a .481 clip.
Kaela Jo Freppon tied a career high with 17 digs to lead the defensive effort. Freppon, Julian and Ruble each had two service aces as well. Kelly Marcinek led Kennesaw State with 21 kills on a .459 hitting percentage. Cierra Royster added 16 kills and hit .333 for the Owls. With the win, NKU remains unbeaten in the all-time series against Kennesaw State, 3-0.
MEGAN SOME NOISE: Megan Wanstrath's career high of 18 kills in Saturday's win over North Florida marked her ninth double-figure performance of the season and gives her 194 kills on the season. Wanstrath has gotten over the 10-kill mark in three of her last four matches (at Florida Gulf Coast, vs. Jacksonville, vs. North Florida). After posting just 24 kills over her previous two seasons combined, Wanstrath has grown into one of NKU's most dangerous offensive threats.
REJECTED BY RUBLE: Jenna Ruble posted a season-high seven blocks in Saturday's five-set victory over North Florida, including a season-high six block assists in the match. The effort put Ruble at 206 total blocks for her collegiate career.
TWELVE AND RISING: Anna Prickel reached out for an impressive 56 digs over 14 sets last week, including a 22-dig effort in the win against North Florida. The senior has brought her career dig count to 1,145, passing Cammi Welter for 12
th all-time in NKU's history. Anna needs just eight digs to reach the top 10 in career digs, which would put her past Jenni Long (1,151) and Liz Lamping (1,152).
