HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky volleyball ended the weekend on a high note, sweeping IUPUI, 25-22, 25-17, 25-19. The Norse move to 10-6 with the victory and 3-1 in Horizon League play, while the Jaguars drop to 6-11 (2-2 Horizon).
First Set Summary
- The opening set was the tightest of the three, with NKU finally pulling away from a tied score at the 14-14 mark after a five-point run consisting of four Norse kills and an IUPUI error. IUPUI made a slight run at the end of the frame, getting within two points, but NKU regrouped with an opportune timeout and ended the set with the team's 18th kill courtesy of Abby Kanakry.
- Kanakry and Laura Crawford both registered four kills in the set, with the former hitting .500. NKU's defense was led by Anna Brinkmann in the back row with five digs while Natalie Hardig rejected a pair of IUPUI attacks.
Second Set Summary
- The Jaguars hit for a negative percentage in the second set, committing 12 miscues while the Norse hit .265 with a well-spread offense. Brinkmann and Kanakry tallied three kills apiece while Crawford, Hardig and Bailey Western added two each.
Third Set Summary
- NKU went out to a sizeable lead in the final set, 17-9, but the Jaguars answered back with a five-point run before the Norse took control back. IUPUI also made a slight run at the end of the set, but Brinkmann put the match away with back-to-back kills.
- Miranda Wuicherer had an impressive stat line in the frame with four kills on six swings, seven assists, three digs and a pair of blocks. Brinkmann and Western added three kills, with Western terminating on as many attempts to go with two blocks.
Norse Notes
- The Norse setters delivered the ball well to their attackers, with five Norse contributing eight or more kills.
- Kanakry led the offense with nine kills, hitting .421 in the victory.
- Brinkmann, Crawford, Western and Wucherer each added eight kills.
- Brinkmann led the team defensively with 12 digs.
- Crawford added seven digs and a pair of blocks.
- Western hit a career-best .517 with no errors in the match and also paced the team at the net with five blocks.
- Wucherer was two kills and two digs away from a triple-double in the sweep, adding 19 assists and eight digs, as well as three blocks.
- Shelby Olsen posted her second-straight double-double with 19 assists and 11 digs.
- Ashton Terrill added nine digs and three assists.
- As a team, NKU hit .300 and held the Jaguars to .053 for the match. The Norse also had a 53-41 advantage in digs and matched IUPUI with eight blocks.
Up Next
- NKU is back at home on Wednesday evening when the Norse host Oakland for a 6 p.m. contest, which will be streamed on ESPN3.
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