HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky volleyball returns home this weekend as the Norse host IUPUI and Wright State on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 27-28. Saturday's match against the Jaguars is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET with a live broadcast on ESPN+, while Sunday's tilt against the Raiders is set for 2 p.m. and will be carried on ESPN3.
 
WEEKEND PROMOS: Saturday's match will serve as Youth Team Night, which provides free admission for all youth teams in attendance, and the Norse will hold a special recognition between the second and third match for the 4 Paws organization. Sunday is NKU's Pink Match for breast cancer awareness, so wear your pink and the Pink Ribbon Girls will be in attendance with pink giveaway items and an area for donations. The Norse will also hold a free post-match clinic for fans 12 and under.
 
LAST TIME OUT: The Norse had a tough trip to the Badger State, falling in five sets to Milwaukee before a four-set setback to Green Bay. Haley Libs extended her double-double streak to 13 matches with 25 kills and 21 digs against the Panthers before 14 kills and 22 digs against the Phoenix. Shelby Olsen also lengthened her current double-double streak to seven matches, including a season-best 17 digs at Green Bay, while Miranda Wucherer also posted double-doubles in each of the setbacks.
 
STAY CLASSY: Senior outside hitter Haley Libs made the cut in the second round of the Senior CLASS Award and was named one of 10 national finalists on Oct. 25. The award recognizes the rounded student-athlete who has accomplishments in the four C's of classroom, character, community and competition. The winner will be determined by a voting system that includes one-third weighted by a fan ballot and the other two-thirds coming from AVCA coaches and national media. Fans can vote for Libs every day on multiple devices until Dec. 5 by visiting www.seniorclassaward.com/vote/volleyball_2018.
  
Libs has been an exemplary student-athlete during her NKU career, leading the Norse in kills in every season while holding a flawless 4.00 grade point average. She is a two-time Horizon League All-Academic honoree and was named to the CoSIDA All-District team in 2017. Libs has been saving her best season for last, averaging 4.13 kills and 3.88 digs per set to help the Norse hold an 13-8 overall record thus far. With regards to character, she is a three-time captain as chosen by her teammates for her commitment and work ethic to both volleyball and academic studies. Finally, she has been a leader within NKU volleyball's many community outreach efforts, working with Mathew 25 Ministry, Henry Hosea Soup Kitchen and serving as an ambassador for Team IMPACT.
 
DEFENSE, DEFENSE, DEFENSE: For the ninth-straight week, NKU tops the nation with 20.12 digs per set. Sophomore libero Ashton Terrill ranks seventh nationally and leads the Horizon League with 5.75 digs per set, while senior outside hitter Haley Libs is second on the team with 3.88 digs per set. Back row defense has become a staple of NKU volleyball, with the Norse ranking 16th nationally in the 2017 season.
 
SCOUTING IUPUI: Since graduating an impactful senior class last season, the Jaguars have struggled to post wins in 2018 with a 5-19 record. IUPUI rides a six-match losing streak entering the weekend, four of which came by way of a sweep. The match will be a battle of the top defensive teams in the nation, with NKU topping NCAA volleyball with 20.12 digs per set while the Jaguars sit at third nationally with 19.02 dps. Unlike the Norse, whose libero, Ashton Terrill, ranks seventh in the nation to bolster team statistics, the Jaguars have a collective team effort of four players averaging at least 2.90 digs per set. Rhia Schueneman is tops on the team with 3.81 digs per set, while Rachel Hickey is averaging 3.72 digs per set. Maggie Gibson is not far behind with 3.34 digs per set and leads the team with 2.91 kills per set. Leading the team in blocking is Haley Hoffman, who has been rejecting 1.02 attempts per match.
  
NKU holds a 4-2 record in the all-time series with IUPUI, which was recently renewed when the Jaguars joined the Horizon League last season. The Norse defeated the Jaguars once already this season after a 22-25, 25-22, 25-22, 25-14 road win on Oct. 13.
 
SCOUTING WRIGHT STATE: The Raiders have gone 11-11 overall under first-year head coach Allie Matters and 3-7 in league play with wins over IUPUI, UIC and NKU. Wright State has used strong serving to keep teams off balance, averaging 1.4 aces per set and a 1:1.4 ace-to-error ratio. Teddie Sauer has been valuable in a variety of categories, as the middle blocker is averaging 2.60 kills, 0.89 blocks and .44 aces per set. Sauer is also kept in for back row rotations and picks up 0.95 digs per set. The Raiders also rely on Celia Powers' 2.60 kills, 2.20 digs and 0.89 blocks per set.
  
The Norse hold a 19-13 advantage in the all-time series against the Raiders and enter the weekend riding a five-match winning streak. NKU suffered heartbreak in the last meeting with Wright State as the Norse valiantly battled a two-set deficit and rallied to force a fifth set on Oct. 14. Despite the Norse holding two match points in the deciding set, Wright State had enough in the tank to string together a run and end on a Sauer note - an ace from the middle blocker.