HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Freshmen Haley Libs, Kelly Turner, and Keyaira Lankheit carried the offense, but it was not enough as the Northern Kentucky University volleyball team fell to Oakland in straight sets in Friday night's Horizon League matchup.
 
Libs ended the night with a team-high 13 kills and added nine digs. Turner had a new career-high of 11 kills on the night, while Lankheit led with the team hitting .333 on the match with six kills. With the loss, NKU fell to 8-12 overall and 3-5 in Horizon League play.
 
The Golden Grizzlies (11-10, 5-2 Horizon) were led by Ciara Schultz with 34 assists, nine digs, and four service aces. Melissa Deatsch and Sammy Condon led the team in kills with 11 and 10, respectively. The team had 11 blocks on the night, led by Condon and Amanda Baker with five each, to help seal the victory.
 
In the opening set, Oakland took the early lead, including a 3-0 run to go ahead 9-4. The Norse battled back with help from service errors by the Golden Grizzlies with their own 3-0 run to bring them within one at 15-14. The short spurts continued until the Norse were able to take the late lead at 24-23 after a 6-1 run. The teams traded points, with NKU serving set point six times, but Oakland used a 3-0 run to close out the set, 31-29.
 
The first half of set number two was an exchange of points between teams with neither leading by more than three. The teams were tied at 13-13 then continued to go point-for-point until NKU used a 4-0 run to lead 24-22. The Norse were unable to seal the set, however and Oakland scored four in a row to take it, 26-24.
 
The Golden Grizzlies kept the momentum going into Set 3 with an early 7-4 lead. The Norse struggled to string together points while Oakland pushed forward with a 4-0 run to lead 16-10. Three-straight service aces helped a match-ending nine-point rally and sealed the match, 25-15.
 
The Norse hit the road next weekend for a pair of Horizon League matches. NKU will take on UIC on Friday evening before closing the weekend with a Saturday matinee at Valparaiso.
 
NORSE NOTES

• NKU is still seeking its first win in the all-time series against Oakland, as the Golden Grizzlies extended their lead to 7-0 against the Norse dating back to the 1985 season.
• Taylor Snyder completed her second double-double of the home stand and seventh of the season with 34 assists and 10 digs. Snyder has 40 double-double performances in her three seasons with the Norse.
• NKU finished their home stand going 2-1. The Norse return to Regents on Oct.27 to take on Wright State at 7 p.m.