HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – A Monday afternoon doubleheader at Robert Morris awaits the Northern Kentucky volleyball team, which only has the two-game set against the Colonials remaining in the regular-season. The games, which will be played at noon and 6 p.m., pit two teams on hot streaks of late as NKU and RMU have won five and three in a row, respectively. ESPN3 is broadcasting both games.
 
Game Information
Northern Kentucky University Norse (8-3 Overall, 7-3 Horizon League)
Robert Morris University Colonials (3-11 Overall, 3-11 Horizon League)
Monday, March 22 – Noon (ET) | 6 p.m. (ET)
Moon Township, Pa. | UPMC Events Center (4,000)
ESPN3: Game 1 | Game 2
Stats: Both Games
 
Quick Hitters
• NKU has now won five in a row after taking two from Milwaukee, but will be playing for the first time in two weeks after the matches against UIC were canceled due to a COVID-related pause.
• NKU closes out the regular-season with a pair of matches at Robert Morris.
• NKU is 1-0 all-time versus league-newcomer Robert Morris picking up a three-set, neutral-site win in early Sept. 2017.
• NKU is climbing the national rankings in several categories, including ranking in the top-100 in opponent hitting percentage (58th, .161), aces per set (37th, 1.74), digs per set (58th, 16.82) and hitting percentage (79th, .228).
• NKU is coming off of a 19-13 season in which it defeated Milwaukee in the finals to win the Horizon League Tournament championship and played in its first-ever NCAA Tournament.
• NKU also earned its first top-50 RPI finish, checking in at No. 49 in the final rankings of the 2019 season. In the first ranking of the 2019 season, NKU was 43rd, which is its highest ever.
• The Norse were picked to finish second in the #HLVB Preseason Poll for the second-straight year, garnering three first-place votes and 111 points, one behind favorite Wright State.
• OH Anna Brinkmann collected her second #HLVB Player of the Week (Feb. 25, March 11) hitting .321 en route to 4.14 kills and 5.14 digs per set in the wins against Milwaukee.
• Brinkmann opened the 2020-21 campaign with four-straight double-doubles and now has six on the season after securing two against Milwaukee. She's averaging 3.52 kps and 3.45 dps.
• Brinkmann has 16 aces this year and is averaging 0.48 aces per set, which ranks 36th nationally.
• S/RS Miranda Wucherer has two triple-doubles this year, which are the 3rd-most nationally.
• Wucherer was named #HLVB Player of the Week on Feb. 11 after averaging 3.00 kps, 5.88 aps, 2.00 dps, 0.88 bps and hitting .300, as well as recording a triple-double against Cleveland State.
• Wucherer is doing a little bit of everything for the Norse in her dual role as setter and rightside, as she is averaging 5.95 assists, 2.64 digs and 2.05 kills per set.
• L/DS Ashton Terrill is coming off a campaign in which she earned her second-straight postseason accolade. She was named an all-league honorable mention in 2019 after being a first-team performer in 2018.
• Terrill is working her way up the Norse annals, scooping 1,801 digs in her career to rank 2nd all-time at NKU.
• Terrill's 4.85 dps rank 60th in the country.
• After missing two weeks, MB/OPP Abby Kanakry returned to the Norse lineup with a vengeance against Milwaukee, terminating 20 kills behind .545 hitting against the Panthers.
• OH Reilly Briggs returns for her second season with the Norse. Briggs was a #HLVB All-Freshman Team performer last year and is averaging 2.47 kps for NKU this season.
• S Katy Yopko is contributing 4.83 assists and 1.77 digs per set in her freshman campaign.
• NKU has five players averaging at least 2.0 kills per set: Brinkmann (3.35), Kanakry (2.65), Briggs (2.47), Kaelin Gentile (2.18) and Wucherer (2.04).
• MB Peytton Bagwell ranks fourth in #HLVB in blocks, registering 1.09 blocks per set.