NKU-Purdue box score |
NKU-Syracuse box score
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. –
Keely Creamer had a career-high 17 kills to help the Northern Kentucky University volleyball team rally for a come-from-behind, 3-2 (28-26, 20-25, 22-25, 25-17, 15-11) victory over Syracuse to close out the Active Ankle Challenge, hosted by Purdue University.
With the win NKU improved to 5-8 on the year, softening the blow of a 3-1 (20-25, 25-11, 25-8, 25-13) loss to No. 21 Purdue earlier in the day. Creamer's performance helped her garner all-tournament honors.
Jayden Julian (13 kills, 11 digs) and
Taylor Snyder (61 assists, 12 digs) each posted double-doubles for the Norse, while
Tristen Simpson added 13 kills and
Anna Prickel chipped in with 17 digs. Valeriya Shaipova was one of three Orange attackers in double figures, leading the match with 22 kills. Silvi Uattara had 18 kills and Nicolette Serratore added 14.
Syracuse (5-8) held as large as a four-point lead in Set 1 and led 15-12 before a 6-0 run tilted the advantage to the Norse. The Orange chipped away at the Norse lead until Shaipova and Monika Salkute stuffed a
Jenna Ruble attack to tie the match at 22-22. The teams traded points to 26-26 until a Lindsay McCabe attack missed the mark for Syracuse and
Megan Wanstrath put home a pass from Julian to seal the Set 1 win for NKU.
It was a story of runs in Set 2, as a 6-1 run by the Orange gave Syracuse a 10-7 lead. NKU responded with a 5-1 to tie the match back up at 13-13. After trading points to 14-14, Syracuse took six of the next seven points and closed the set on a 4-1 run to level the match with a 25-20 set win. The Orange then went ahead in Set 3 with a 25-22 win in a set where neither team held more than a three-point lead.
Ruble got four of her nine kills in a must-win Set 4 for the Norse. The bulk of her work came late in the set on a 5-0 run that featured three kills and two blocks by the junior. Creamer added six kills in the set, including set point to tie the match.
In the final set agaisnt Syracuse, the Norse broke serve after 3-3 and strung together a 4-1 run after a kill and a block from Wanstrath and a pair of kills by
Tristen Simpson to give the Norse a 7-4 lead. Syracuse closed the gap to one as the teams battled point-for-point until a 6-1 run pushed the Norse to match point. The Orange rallied back, and a service ace and a block pulled Syracuse within three points at 14-11, but Wanstrath was there to get the final kill of the match and hold on for the victory.
Julian also had 12 kills in NKU's opening match against Purdue, a match in which the Norse jumped up and shocked the Boilermakers with a Set 1 victory, 25-20. Purdue responded dramatically, taking a 25-11 win to level the match in Set 2.
Purdue (8-2) opened Set 3 on a 14-1 run, with only a service error breaking up a perfect run of points, en route to a 25-8 win to take the match lead. The Boilermakers then hit .500 for the match's final set to take the match with a 25-13 score.
Val Nichol led Purdue with 12 kills and 24 assists. Sam Epenesa added 10 kills of her own for the Boilermakers.
The Norse open Atlantic Sun Conference play in earnest next weekend, traveling to take on North Florida and Jacksonville in the Sunshine State. NKU will take on North Florida on Friday at 7 p.m., before closing the weekend's action at Jacksonville on Saturday at 4 p.m.
