HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Led by a highly efficient offense, the Northern Kentucky volleyball team swept local-foe Cincinnati on Tuesday night in Regents Hall. The Norse hit .390 in the match, registering 46 kills and just seven errors.

The win elevates NKU's record to 4-3 on the year, while UC dips to 4-3.

STAT LEADERS

·       Anna Brinkmann registered a game-high 18 kills with only three errors. The junior outside hitter converted on a .441 clip.

·       Miranda Wucherer distributed 18 assists for the Norse, while adding eight kills on behind a .412 hitting percentage.

·       Reilly Briggs terminated seven attacks.

·       Katy Yopko had a team-high nine digs.

FIRST SET SUMMARY

·       Northern Kentucky ran out to an early 8-2 lead and never looked back in the opening set.

·       Cincinnati was able to cut the lead to four on just one occasion, 11-7. The Bearcats  staved off four set points, but the Norse had built a 10-point cushion and finished the frame with a 25-17 win.

·       Brinkmann's seven kills led a Norse attack that put away 15 attempts and hit .364 in the opening stanza.

·       NKU's defense limited UC to 13 kills on a .176 hitting clip.

SECOND SET SUMMARY

·       Set No. 2 had a much different feel as Cincinnati stormed out to a 16-10 lead.

·       Northern Kentucky rallied with a 9-1 run that featured three kills by Wucherer.

·       The Norse never relinquished the lead and took the set, 25-20.

·       NKU had its lowest attacking conversion rate in the match at .314. NKU terminated 15 attempts and committed four errors.

·       UC hit .189 and put away 12 kills.

·       Brinkmann finished with five terminations and Wucherer added four in the set.

·       The front row came away with 4.0 blocks to help the Norse cause.

THIRD SET SUMMARY

·       With the third set tied at 13-all, NKU capitalized on a pair of UC hitting errors and an ace from Briggs to pull ahead by three and for the Bearcats to call timeout. 

·       The Norse used consecutive 2-1 rallies to add more breathing room and then closed the set and match with four-straight points, winning the frame 25-17.

·       Brinkmann terminated six of her 10 attempts without committing an error in the frame. She led a Norse attack that finished with 16 kills and no hitting errors, converting at a .500 clip.

·       The Norse back row scooped 14 digs in the frame and held the Bearcats to just .189 hitting.

MATCH NOTES

·       NKU's offense was efficient, as all four players with double-figure attack totals on the night registered a hitting percentage above .250. In addition to Brinkmann and Wucherer, Briggs and Gentile hit .333 and .267, respectively.

·       Northern Kentucky moves to 8-7 all-time against Cincinnati and 3-1 in the DI-era.

·       The Norse hit .390 in the match, marking the first time converting at a rate above .350 since terminating at a .412 clip against Youngstown State on Sept. 27, 2019.

·       With tonight's victory, the Norse have won four of their last five matches.

NEXT UP

NKU heads back on the road for a pair of contests at Youngstown State on March 1 and 2. Match times are set for 6 p.m. on Monday and 5 p.m. on Tuesday.

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