OXFORD, Ohio – Jayden Julian picked up 10 kills and Tristen Simpson added eight, but the Northern Kentucky University volleyball team fell short against IPFW on Saturday morning, dropping a 3-0 decision to conclude the Miami Invitational, hosted by Miami (Ohio).
 
Kaitlyn Bowen fell a dig short of a double-double, going for 18 assists and nine digs on the match while adding a pair of blocks. Mel Stewart picked up 15 digs to lead NKU's defensive effort as the Norse closed out nonconference play with a 5-7 record.
 
Somer Johnson had 10 kills and 11 digs to lead the Mastadons (3-11). Madison Jaqua added 29 assists and 10 digs in the victorious effort for IPFW.
 
The Mastadons opened the match with a 6-2 lead and expanded their lead as large as large as eight points at 20-12 before the Norse started to battle back. NKU went on a 5-1 run to close the gap to three at 21-18, but IPFW took the final four points, including a pair of kills from Johnson, to close out the set with a 25-18 score.
 
After IPFW again took an early 6-2 lead, the Norse used three-consecutive service aces from Creamer to tie things up at 9-9 and push to a lead as Libs connected on a pair of kills. Both teams jockeyed for the lead until a 5-0 run, keyed by a pair of kills by Nicole Rightnowar, pushed the IPFW lead to 21-16. The Mastadons held on to take a 25-18 set victory and push to a 2-0 match advantage.
 
Set 3 proved to be the tightest of the match, as neither team claimed a lead of larger than three points throughout the set. Kills by Simpson and Creamer pushed the Norse lead to 24-22 late, but a pair of Norse errors followed again by back-to-back kills from Johnson ended the set at 26-24, and the match in favor of IPFW.
 
NKU now turns its focus to Horizon League play, which begins this weekend at Regents Hall. The Norse will welcome Valparaiso on Friday evening, with first serve set for 7 p.m. The weekend will conclude against UIC on Saturday at 3 p.m. Both games will be available on ESPN3, with live stats available at NKUStats.com.
 
NORSE NOTES
 

• With the loss, IPFW's lead in the all-time series extended to 21-18. It was the first win for the Mastadons over the Norse since the 1996 season, a streak of nine matches dating from 1997-2001.
• Jayden Julian's 10 kills on the night puts her at 991 for her career. She will look to join the 1,000-kill club in NKU's home opener Friday against Valparaiso.
• Mel Stewart's 15 digs gives her 1,136 on her career, surpassing Camilla Welter (2000-03) for ninth all-time at NKU. She needs 16 more to pass Liz Lamping (1996-99) for eighth on the career list.