HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – With a six-game winning streak in tow, the Northern Kentucky volleyball team is set to head to Youngstown State for a mid-week, Horizon League contest on Oct. 19. First serve is set for 6 p.m.
 
Game Information
Northern Kentucky Norse (11-6 Overall, 7-1 Horizon League)
Youngstown State University Penguins (4-16 Overall, 1-8 Horizon League)
Tuesday, Oct. 19 – 6 p.m.
Youngstown, Ohio | Beeghly Center (6,300)
Broadcast: ESPN+
Stats: Live Stats
 
Quick Hitters
• NKU won its fifth and sixth-straight matches with victories over Oakland and Cleveland State.
• NKU registered 14 blocks in the sweep of Cleveland State, including seven in the final set alone.
• NKU is 12-0 all-time against Youngstown State
• NKU was chosen third in the #HLVB preseason poll.
• NKU leads the Horizon League in blocks in both all matches (2.34 bps) and league only matches (3.00 bps).
• NKU opened the season with 12-straight road games, going 6-6, and recently ended a five-match homestand at 5-0.
• Northern Kentucky's nonconference slate was tough, including two teams currently ranked in the top-10 - No. 7 Ohio State (L, 0-3) and No. 2 Louisville. Missouri was receiving votes in the preseason poll. South Dakota was in the RPI top-50 in each of the last two years (42 in 2020, 38 in 2019) and both Ohio (W, 3-2) and Ball State (L, 0-3, L, 2-3) perennially finds themselves in the top-50-100 of the RPI. Evansville was 7-0 when they played the Norse.
• Over the last four seasons (2018-21), NKU is a combined 60-34 (.638 winning percentage).
• With last year's #HLVB Tournament semifinal appearance, NKU has now reached at least the semifinals of its conference tournament seven-straight years - every season eligible for conference postseason tournament play (2014-present) since reclassifying to NCAA Division I in 2012.
• OH Anna Brinkmann picked up her second #HLVB Player of the Week honor this year after hitting an impressive .345 en route to averaging 4.17 kills per set while adding 3.67 digs and 0.67 blocks per set in wins over PFW and IUPUI.
• She is coming off of a .545 attacking percentage against Cleveland State that resulted in 13 kills.
• Brinkmann leads the Norse at 3.66 kps with 10 double-doubles on the season.
• RS/OH Reilly Briggs was named #HLVB Player of the Week on Oct. 6 after averaging 3.91 kps at a .434 hitting clip in road games at Milwaukee and Green Bay and at home versus Robert Morris.
• In her last 12 matches, Briggs has averaged 3.43 kills per set and hit .320 (151K-46E-328TA) from her right-side position.
• S/RS Miranda Wucherer is a versatile asset for the Norse at her setter/opposite hitter position. She's amassed 39 double-doubles in her career, including eight triple doubles. She already has two triple-doubles this year, which rank fourth-most in the country.
• Against Oakland, Wucherer registered a career-high 22 digs and followed with a career-high six block assists versus Cleveland State.
• DS/L Anna Burke is donning the libero jersey for the Norse for the first time this year. She improved from 0.96 dps as a freshman to 1.70 dps her sophomore season and is now averaging 4.71 this year, which ranks 43rd in the country and third in the Horizon League.
• Burke already has seven 20-dig matches on the season, including a career-high 29 at Ball State on Sept. 18 and 25 versus Robert Morris in NKU's last outing.
• S Katy Yopko is helping orchestrate the Norse offense, handing out 5.52 assists per set.
• Yopko posted her second career double-double with 30 assists and 11 digs in NKU's win at Wright State.
• MB/OPP Abby Kanakry is averaging 1.95 kills and 0.98 blocks per set.
• MB Natalie Hardig is third for the Norse and ranks 7th in the league in blocks at 0.95 bps.
• DS Lillian Leiner registered a career-high 20 digs versus Evansville and is contributing 2.27 dps. She already has five double-figure dig efforts this year after registering two last season.
• MB Sequoia Hunt leads the league in blocks in league-only matches (1.81 bps). In the last four matches, she is averaging 2.15 bps (28 blocks, 13 sets).
• Freshman OH Joy Banks, was an Under Armour High School All-America Honorable Mention honoree after averaging 5.7 kills behind .401 hitting as a senior. She is contributing 1.82 kps and has three double-digit kill performances this year.
• HC Liz Hart picked up her 200th career win on Saturday against Cleveland State. She joined Jane Meier (257, 1978-87), Mary Biermann (286, 1989-2000) and Carlos Chia (224, 2001-10) with 200 career wins as a Norse head coach.