HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Haley Libs posted her second 20-kill performance of the season and Jayden Julian chipped in with a career-high 26 digs, but the Northern Kentucky University volleyball team fell short against Valparaiso, losing 3-1 in the Horizon League opener for both teams on Friday night.
 
Keely Creamer added 12 kills and four blocks and Julian posted 10 kills to notch her first double-double of the season as the Norse fell to 5-8 overall and 0-1 in Horizon League play. Lauren Hurley added 14 digs and Mel Stewart posted 10. After missing a pair of matches last weekend, Taylor Snyder was back to form with 49 assists on the match.
 
A 9-1 run pushed the Crusaders (13-2, 1-0 Horizon) off to a strong start in the opening set. Emily Campbell picked up nine of her team-leading 20 kills in the opener as Valpo hit .400 on the set and cruised to a 25-15 win in Set 1.
 
The Norse composed themselves in Set 2 and started things off on a 12-6 run and continued to push the advantage to a seven-point edge at 21-14 as Libs picked up nine kills herself in the second frame. Valpo closed the gap thanks in part to a 7-2 run, and tied the match at 24-24 as both teams battled through several set points before Valpo took the set on a kill by Kayla Currier, her only kill of the match.
 
Valpo looked to be in the driver's seat in Set 3, pushing to a 5-1 lead and holding that edge until a 14-10 score, when the Norse stormed back on a 6-0 run fueled by three Crusader errors. NKU continued their push offensively, picking up their final eight points on kills as the Norse hit .261 on the set en route to a 25-20 set victory.
 
Set 4 saw neither team take a larger than three point lead, with Valpo leading 22-19 before a 3-0 run by the Norse, including a rare kill from Stewart, tied things back up at 22-22. Valpo was able to hold on and get the final three points to take the set, 25-23, and the match.
 
In addition to Campbell's 20 kills, Allison Ketcham added 18 kills and 22 digs while Taylor Graboski posted 10 kills.
 
NKU will look to get back into the win column on Saturday afternoon when the Norse conclude their short-lived home stand against UIC. First serve at Regents Hall is set for 3 p.m., with action live on ESPN3 and NKUNorse.com.
 
NORSE NOTES
 

• Julian's 10 kills put her at 997 for her career, just three short of becoming the 17^th member of NKU's 1,000-kill club.
• Julian's 26 digs are the most by a Norse player this season, and the most since Mel Stewart's 30-dig performance last season against Lipscomb in the semifinals of the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship.
• Libs' 20-kill performance equaled a career-high she posted earlier this year in a win over SIU Edwardsville. The freshman now leads the team with 139 kills (3.09 per set).