EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – The Northern Kentucky University volleyball team saw a career-high effort from Haley Libs, who put down 20 kills in a five-set victory over SIU Edwardsville on Saturday night to close out play in the Cougar Classic.
 
The win helped take the sting out of a 3-1 loss to Arkansas earlier in the day. With the results, NKU finished the weekend with a pair of wins and improved to 2-4 on the year.
 
Libs' was consistent throughout the match against Edwardsville (1-5), picking up six, five, four and four kills in each of the first four sets of the match. With 41 attacks she was Taylor Snyder's favorite target on the evening. Snyder finished the night with 51 assists and 11 digs, marking her third double-double of the season.
 
Libs added 10 digs as well to notch her first career double-double. Keely Creamer chipped in 15 kills and three blocks on the match, while Jayden Julian added 13 kills. Mel Stewart posted a team-high 15 digs from the back row.
 
After dropping Set 1 by a 27-25 score, the Norse marched back, taking a 25-21 win in Set 2, holding SIUE (1-5) to an .083 hitting percentage. The Norse pounded the ball in Set 3, attacking at a .407 clip in a 25-20 set win. After dropping the fourth set, 25-18, the Norse raced out to a 7-0 lead in the final set and never looked back in taking the victory, 15-7.
 
Taylor Jones was one of three Cougars in double figures for kills, notching 17 on the evening.
 
Libs again led the way in the early match, as she and Creamer each had 11 kills in the 3-1 loss to Arkansas (5-1). The Razorbacks took the match with set scores of 25-21, 25-18, 12-25, 25-11. Julian had nine kills and Tristen Simpson picked up seven in the early session.
 
Blocks made a big difference in the contest, as the Razorbacks won the battle at the net, 10-5. Setter Adrien Wohlschlaege led the way with five blocks to go with 40 assists on the afternoon. Pilar Victoria put down 16 kills, while Chanel Clark-Bibbs added 13 kills on a .500 hitting percentage to go with four blocks.
 
The Norse posted a strong .405 hitting percentage in their winning effort for Set 3. Three different Norse players posted three kills in the set, while Arkansas was held to -.057 on the attack that set.
 
NKU now focuses on a midweek battle against in-state rival Eastern Kentucky. First serve from Alumni Coliseum is set for Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. Links to live stats will be available at NKUNorse.com.
 
To keep up with Norse volleyball, follow @NKUNorseVB on Twitter and like Northern Kentucky University Volleyball on Facebook.
 
NORSE NOTES
 

• Libs finished the weekend with a team-high 47 kills on .350 hitting across three matches, earning All-Tournament Team honors in the process.
• Libs' 20-kill performance was the first for a Norse player this season, and the first since Jenna Ruble put down 21 kills on Nov. 15, 2014 against South Carolina Upstate.
• The victory over SIUE was NKU's first over the rival Cougars in Edwardsville since the 2002 season, when NKU posted another 3-2 victory.