HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky continues its stretch of home matches when it welcomes Horizon League foes Purdue Fort Wayne and IUPUI to Regents Hall for a pair of contests this weekend. The Norse and Mastodons square off at 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 8 before the Jaguars come to Highland Heights for a 4 p.m. first serve on Saturday, Oct. 9.
 
Game Information
Northern Kentucky Norse (7-6 Overall, 3-1 Horizon League)
Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons (4-15 Overall, 2-4 Horizon League)
Friday, Oct. 8 – 6 p.m.
Highland Heights, Ky. | Regents Hall (1,346)
Broadcast: ESPN+
Stats: Live Stats
 
IUPUI Jaguars (2-15 Overall, 0-6 Horizon League)
Saturday, Oct. 9 – 4 p.m.
Highland Heights, Ky. | Regents Hall (1,346)
Broadcast: ESPN+
Stats: Live Stats
 
Quick Hitters
• NKU won its home opener against Robert Morris, 3-1.
• NKU is in the midst of a stretch where 9-of-10 games will be played at home, and hosts PFW and IUPUI in a pair of weekend matches.
• NKU is 20-23 all-time against the Mastodons, but has won 11 of the last 12, and 9-2 versus the Jaguars.
• NKU was chosen third in the #HLVB preseason poll.
• NKU leads the Horizon League in blocks (2.56 bps) in league only matches.
• NKU's opened the season with 12-straight road games, going 6-6.
• 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. 3 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 56-34 (.622 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.
• RS/OH Reilly Briggs was named #HLVB Player of the Week after averaging 3.91 kps at a .434 hitting clip in road games at Milwaukee and Green Bay and at home versus Robert Morris.
• Briggs is coming off a career-high 20 kills against RMU, where she hit .531. She is also second on the team in terminations at 2.98 kps.
• In her last eight matches, Briggs has averaged 3.6 kills per set and hit .340 (112K-32E-235TA) from her right-side position.
• OH Anna Brinkmann leads the Norse at 3.59 kps with eight double-doubles on the season.
• Brinkmann was named #HLVB Player of the Week after earning tournament MVP honors at Miami (Sept. 15) after posting 3.71 kps, .324 hitting percentage, 0.86 bps and 0.57 aces per set.
• S/RS Miranda Wucherer and Briggs joined Brinkmann on the all-tournament team at the conclusion of Miami's event.
• Wucherer is a versatile asset for the Norse at her setter/opposite hitter position. She's amassed 37 double-doubles in her career, including eight triple doubles. She already has two triple-doubles this year, which rank third in the country.
• 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 4.76 this year, which ranks 45th in the country and third in the Horizon League.
• Burke already has six 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 orchestrating the Norse offense, handing out 5.59 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 1.84 kills and 0.92 blocks per set.
• MB Natalie Hardig leads the Norse and ranks 6th in the league in blocks at 0.95 bps.
• DS Lillian Leiner registered a career-high 20 digs versus Evansville and is contributing 2.33 dps. She already has four double-figure dig efforts this year after registering two last season.
• 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 1.88 kps and registered 11 terminations against RMU in the team's last game.