HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky volleyball has a quick turnaround after a successful weekend in Regents Hall as the Norse host Youngstown State in a Halloween night contest on Wednesday, Oct. 31. First serve against the Penguins is scheduled for 6 p.m. and the match will be broadcast on ESPN3.
MATCH PROMOS: In celebration of Halloween, all youth who attend the match in their Halloween costume will receive free admission.
LAST TIME OUT: NKU snapped a three-match losing skid and returned to form with a sweep of IUPUI and a four-set win over Wright State this past weekend.
Haley Libs extended her double-double streak to 15 matches, and
Bailey Western hit .485 with 19 kills between the two matches. The Norse offense was rolling with 15.00 kills per set and a .271 hitting percentage against the two opponents thanks to a varied offense from setters
Shelby Olsen and
Miranda Wucherer as four Norse averaged at least 2.00 kills per set.
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 3.86 digs per set to help the Norse hold an 15-8 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 10th-straight week, NKU tops the nation with 19.86 digs per set. Sophomore libero
Ashton Terrill ranks ninth nationally and leads the Horizon League with 5.75 digs per set, while senior outside hitter
Haley Libs is second on the team with 3.86 digs per set. Back row defense has become a staple of NKU volleyball, with the Norse ranking 16th nationally in the 2017 season.
SCOUTING YOUNGSTOWN STATE: The Penguins enter Wednesday on a nine-match losing streak, picking up just three set wins since their win over Wright State on Sept. 28. Youngstown State has been experimenting with its lineup throughout the season, including moving its top outside attacker Margaux Thompson, to the libero position when the two teams last met on Oct. 3. Thompson appears to have returned to form in the past three matches on the left pin, averaging 3.25 kills per set with double-digit kills in each outing. The Penguins also rely heavily on the net presence of Sarah Varcolla in the middle, who averages 1.25 blocks per set in Horizon League play to rank fifth in the league.
NKU holds a 7-0 all-time record against the Penguins, with four of those wins coming by way of a sweep. When the Norse traveled to Youngstown, Ohio, earlier this season, the team picked up a 25-22, 25-19, 25-13 victory.
