LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Northern Kentucky volleyball suffered a straight-set setback at No. 12 Louisville (25-22, 25-12, 25-20) despite pushing the nationally ranked Cards in two of the three sets. NKU slips to 2-3 on the season and UofL improves to 6-0.

STATS LEADERS 

• Anna Burke registered a match-high 20 digs, averaging another 6.67 digs per set.
• Anna Brinkmann had a match-high 14 kills to go along with 12 digs for her fourth-straight double-double.
• Reilly Briggs put away nine terminations for the Norse.
• Katy Yopko distributed 19 assists.
• Abby Kanakry had five kills and six blocks, while Allie Siefke contributed five blocks to the Norse cause.

FIRST SET SUMMARY   

• NKU built an early 7-3 lead, but Louisville eventually tied the set up at 12.
• The set was a battle through the middle portions until the Norse went back up by two, 20-18, on consecutive kills from Briggs and Brinkmann.
• Louisville called timeout and responded with a 4-0 run.
• Northern Kentucky countered with Briggs and Brinkmann again to even the set at 22.
• UofL ended the frame, 25-22, with three straight kills.
• The Norse hit .308 and had a 17-16 advantage in kills, thanks to six terminations from Brinkmann and four from Briggs.
• Burke registered seven scoops. 

SECOND SET SUMMARY   

• Louisville jumped out quickly and took a 10-1 lead, never looking back in a 25-12 set win.
• Northern Kentucky matched Louisville with 12 kills in the set, but hit just .048 after also registering 10 errors thanks to six blocks by the Cardinals.
• Brinkmann added four kills, while Briggs and Kanakry had three.
• Burke notched another six digs.

 
THIRD SET SUMMARY 

• UofL jumped out early in the third set as well, building a 7-3 lead, only to see NKU storm back and take a 10-9 advantage.
• Joy Banks helped lead the charge with a kill and two service aces.
• The set stayed close until the 15-15 mark, when the Cards used a 5-0 run to grab control and hold on to the 25-20 win.
• Burke led the way with seven digs, while Brinkmann added six of her own and another four kills.
• Briggs, Banks and Sequoia Hunt also contributed two kills apiece to the Norse cause.

MATCH NOTES   

• NKU finished with 39 kills at a .168 hitting clip, while UofL registered 46 kills and hit .345.
• Burke closed the tournament with 56 total digs, averaging 5.60 digs per set to earn a spot on the all-tournament team.
• With 22 digs versus Missouri yesterday, Burke has registered back-to-back 20-dig efforts in three-set matches. This also marked her third 20-dig effort in five matches so far this season.
• Brinkmann's double-double is her fourth-straight. For the tournament, she averaged 4.80 kills and 3.40 digs.

NEXT UP 
The Norse head to Oxford, Ohio, for the Miami/Best Western Sycamore Inn Invitational on Sept. 10-11. NKU squares off against Middle Tennessee, Evansville and host Miami (Ohio).