HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University volleyball team closes out its nonconference schedule this weekend at the Miami Invitational presented by Best Western, hosted at Millett Hall by Miami (Ohio).
 
The Norse will take on the host RedHawks on Friday at 7 p.m., and will close out the tournament at 10 a.m. on Saturday against IPFW. Friday's match will be carried live on ESPN3, and links live stats for both matches will be available at NKUNorse.com.
 
Northern Kentucky University Norse (5-5)
Miami University RedHawks (5-5)
Sept. 18 – 7 p.m.
Millett Hall – Oxford, Ohio
Series History: NKU leads, 6-5
First meeting: Oct. 30, 1975 at MU (MU 17-15, 16-14)
Last meeting: Sept. 7, 2013 at MU (MU 24-26, 26-28, 25-22, 25-21, 15-13)
 
NKU
IPFW Mastadons (2-10)
Sept. 19 – 10 a.m.
Millett Hall – Oxford, Ohio
Series History: IPFW leads, 20-18
First meeting: Sept. 18, 1982 at Dayton, Ohio (NKU 15-5, 15-12)
Last meeting: Sept. 29, 2001 at IPFW (NKU 30-25, 30-22, 30-15)
 
TRAFFIC NOTICE: Norse fans planning to make the trip up to Oxford for the game should be aware of some major construction projects near the Miami University campus. This, combined with a RedHawks home football game on Saturday, could pose traffic challenges. Fans are advised to visit Miami's construction updates page for information on detours and other notices.
 
ABOUT MIAMI: The RedHawks enter the weekend with a 5-5 record after picking up wins over Montana State and Weber State at the Wolf Pack Classic in Reno, Nevada. Earlier this season, Miami picked up a big 3-0 win on the road against then No. 19 Michigan State to bolster their resume. Leading the Miami offense is Paige Hill, who is averaging 2.26 kills per set on a .247 hitting percentage and 36 blocks. Kaite Tomasic is right behind with 2.08 kills per set. On the back row, Maeve McDonald is averaging four digs per set.
 
ABOUT IPFW: The Mastadons fell just short in their five-set comeback bid against Ball State on Wednesday, dropping to 2-10 on the season. Leading the way offensively for IPFW is Somer Johnson with just over four kills per set. Johnson is one of the most prolific attackers in the nation, ranking fourth in the country with 12.68 swings per set. Olivia Hahn spearheads the back-row defense with 4.59 digs per set, while Natasha Medic is averaging almost a block per set to lead the front row defense.
 
LAST TIME OUT: The Norse enter this weekend with a 5-5 record after sweeping the competition at the Dunn Hospitality Tournament. The Norse picked up four-set wins over Western Illinois and Jackson State before sweeping the hosts Evansville to claim the tournament championship.
 
ALL-TOURNAMENT EFFORT: Keely Creamer and Taylor Snyder each earned all-tournament honors last weekend at the Dunn Hospitality Tournament, hosted by Evansville. Creamer finished the weekend with 39 kills on an astounding .416 hitting percentage. Snyder averaged 11 assists per set over the weekend and now stands with a 10.25 assists per set mark, good for fourth among Horizon League setters.
 
JAYDEN CHASING 1,000: Jayden Julian enters the weekend with 973 career kills looking to become the 17^th member of NKU's 1,000-kill club. Julian averages 2.61 kills per set to rank third on the team. She would become NKU's first 1,000-kill player since Shelby Buschur accomplished the feat in 2012.
 
KEYAIRA BLOCKS BETTER: Keyaira Lankheit put on a blocking clinic during last weekend's action. Against Western Illinois, the freshman put down nine opposing attacks, sharing a season high for a Horizon League player and marking the best blocking effort by an NKU player in the Division I era. Her 33 total blocks on the season lead not only the team, but all Horizon League freshmen, and ranks fifth overall in the Horizon League with 0.92 blocks per set.
 
KEELY CRANKS IT UP: Keely Creamer has continued to set the pace for attacking for the Norse, as her 3.33 kills per set rank sixth in the conference, while her .325 hitting percentage ranks fifth. She has posted double-digit kills in seven of the team's 10 matches so far this season.
 
FRESHMAN PHENOMS: Lankheit is not the only freshman lighting up the Horizon League, as Haley Libs is averaging three kills per set and leads all League freshman with 105 kills on the season. After her double-double performance last weekend, Libs came back with a 15-kill effort against Jackson State this weekend.