HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky volleyball had an exciting Saturday of volleyball at Regents Hall to close out its own NKU Invitational. The Norse pushed Notre Dame in their first match before falling in four sets (19-25, 25-20, 25-22, 27-25), but then rallied in the night cap of the tournament in a thrilling five-set match to down cross-river rival Cincinnati (25-19, 22-25, 29-27, 23-25, 15-9).
 
With the win, Northern Kentucky moved to 5-4 on the season. Anna Brinkmann was named to the all-tournament team after averaging 3.64 kills per set to go with 3.0 digs per set.
 
Northern Kentucky 1, Notre Dame 3

First Set Summary

• NKU fell behind early, but a 5-0 Norse run, including an Ashton Terrill ace, pushed them ahead 9-6.
• Notre Dame did not back down though whittling the lead down to one multiple times.
• NKU held on to take the set on a 4-0 run, featuring an Anna Brinkmann ace and Abby Kanakry kill.
• Bailey Western led the team with four kills in the set while Natalie Hardig, Kanakry, and Brinkmann balanced out the attack with three kills apiece.

Second Set Summary

• Notre Dame rallied to start the set taking a 6-3 advantage, but following an NKU timeout, the Norse rattled off a 5-1 run to take a 8-7 lead.
• The teams kept exchanging points, but neither was able to break away with 11 ties in the frame, including one late at 18-18. The Fighting Irish strung together a 7-2 run to finish the set.
• Brinkmann paced NKU by putting down four kills and tacking on three digs.

 
Third Set Summary

• Crawford helped lead a 4-0 run with two aces to tie the game at 9-9, after NKU fell behind early. From that point on, neither team was able to muster up a lead greater than three.
• The Norse struggled hitting only .104 in the set due to the Notre Dame front line that finished the set with 5.5 total blocks.

 
Fourth Set Summary

• The back-and-forth continued in this deciding set as NKU and Notre Dame battled throughout.
• Crawford's ace pushed the Norse ahead by four, 14-10, and then her kill gave the Norse a 22-18 advantage.
• Notre Dame then scored five of the next six points to bring the set even at 23.
• After the teams traded several points, the Fighting Irish closed the set with a kill and assisted block.
• Crawford came alive in the stanza with seven kills behind a .316 hitting clip. She added five digs to go along with Terrill's nine scoops on the set.

  
Norse Notes

• Brinkmann and Crawford continue to shine on the outside as both registered a double-double for the second-consecutive match. Crawford finished with 15 kills and 13 digs, while Brinkmann registered 12 kills and 15 digs.
• Crawford also set a new career high in aces with four on the match. As a team, the Norse accumulated seven versus the Irish.
• Terrill continues to hold down the defense for the Norse as she had 25 digs in the contest, scooping 6.25 per set against Notre Dame.
• Kanakry also had a solid game for the Norse, matching her career high in kills with 10. The redshirt freshman connected at a .381 clip.

 
Northern Kentucky 3, (RV) Cincinnati 2

First Set Summary

• With UC leading 7-6 early, the Norse responded with four-straight points to go ahead 10-7 and force a Bearcats' timeout.
• The teams traded points throughout the middle portion, with Reilly Briggs, Kanakry and Brinkmann all converting attacks to keep the Norse out in front. Brinkmann's tally gave NKU a four-point cushion, 21-17, leading to UC's second timeout.
• Coming out of the break, Crawford teamed with Western and Kanakry for back-to-back stuffs and the Norse went on to a 25-19 win.
• Brinkmann converted five kills on just eight attempts for a .625 hitting percentage, while Kanakry (3), Western, Crawford and Briggs each added multiple kills.
• As a team, Northern Kentucky hit at a .406 clip while holding Cincinnati to .235. NKU's defense at the net was stout, as the team held a 5.0-0 advantage in blocks.

 
Second Set Summary

• Western put away an overpass to give NKU a quick 9-5 lead in the second, but UC battled back to grab a 16-13 advantage.
• Trailing by four, Brinkmann converted consecutive kills to cut the deficit to 19-17 before UC scored the next five points.
• Northern Kentucky staved off five set points before Cincinnati closed the frame with a 25-22 decision.
• Brinkmann again registered five kills without committing a miscue. She hit .357 in the frame, while adding a quartet of digs and a solo block.
• NKU's hitting percentage dipped to .122 while UC's elevated slightly to .244.
• Olsen picked up five scoops while Terrill matched Brinkmann's four.

 
Third Set Summary

• Cincinnati erased a one-point Northern Kentucky lead with four-consecutive points before jumping ahead 10-6, resulting in an NKU timeout.
• UC extended out to a six-point advantage, but NKU countered with kills from Briggs and Hardig before Wucherer chimed in with an ace. After the Bearcats called timeout, the Norse scored another five-straight to grab a 16-14 lead.
• Northern Kentucky used a ball-handling error and stuff of UC's All-American Jordan Thompson to pull ahead 19-17.
• Cincinnati knotted the score at 21 but Briggs answered with a kill and then teamed with Hardig to record Northern Kentucky's 10^th block of the match, but the Bearcats battled back to even the set at 24.
• Northern Kentucky scrapped its way to a 29-27 set win after Western and Brinkmann converted consecutive kills.
• Both teams hit .238 in the set, but NKU converted 16 kills to UC's 14.  The Norse also had a 4.0-3.0 advantage in blocks.
• Brinkmann continued her torrid hitting, putting down five kills on 16 attempts with just a single error.
• Olsen anchored the back line defense with eight scoops, while Wucherer provided offensive power courtesy of three aces.

 
Fourth Set Summary

• The two teams battled to an early 6-6 stalemate before UC rattled off three-straight points that caused an NKU timeout.
• Northern Kentucky continued to grind and used Briggs' kill to level the score at 14 before Western provided a 1-point advantage courtesy of her own kill.
• A 3-0 Norse run, with bookend kills from Brinkmann, gave NKU a 21-18 lead and forced UC to call both of its timeouts. However, Cincinnati countered with three-straight scores of its own resulting in the Norse calling their final timeout.
• The Bearcats outscored the Norse 4-2 down the stretch to force a decisive fifth set thanks to a 25-23 victory.
• NKU and UC each converted 16 kills in the frame, with the Norse being led by both Brinkmann and Crawford at four apiece. Hitting percentages were nearly identical, although the Bearcats had a slight .303-.289 advantage.

 
Fifth Set Summary

• Northern Kentucky quickly jumped out 3-0 and then 5-1 in the fifth before Cincinnati called timeout.
• Western converted a hard hit ball to the corner to send NKU into the change of sides with an 8-4 lead.
• UC called its second timeout after Crawford put NKU ahead 10-5 with a smash down the line.
• The Norse pressed on before prevailing 15-9 on another Brinkmann kill, as the sophomore outside hit .500 with four kills in the stanza.
• Terrill scooped four attacks to lead the back line, while Crawford added a solo block and Hardig and Briggs teamed for NKU's second stuff.
• Offensively, NKU saved its best for last. The team hit .471 with 10 kills and just two miscues, while UC's offense faltered to a its lowest hitting percentage of the match, .059, with just four kills and three errors.

 
Norse Notes

• Northern Kentucky finished with 71 kills to Cincinnati's 65, while also holding a .270-.234 margin in hitting percentage.
• Net defense also proved key as the Norse dominated blocks, 16.0-8.5. Western led the way with eight block assists and Briggs set a career mark with six assisted stuffs.
• Brinkmann earned all-tournament status after terminating a career-best 23 kills and hit .386 thanks to efficient hitting with only one error. She added eight digs in the victory.
• Crawford had 12 kills and five digs, while chipping in four total blocks (one solo, three assisted)
• Both Kanakry and Briggs established career-highs in kills with 11 apiece. Briggs hit a stout .409 for the match, while Kanakry connected at a .368 clip.
• Wucherer and Olsen orchestrated the offense with 32 and 25 assists, respectively. Wucherer chipped in all five Norse aces, a career high, and Olsen contributed 15 digs.
• Terrill finished with 19 digs, wrapping up the tournament averaging 5.21 digs per set.

 

Up Next

• Northern Kentucky hits the road for the WKU Volleyball Invitational in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The Norse will face off against host Western Kentucky, Tulsa and Samford in the tournament.