COLUMBUS, Ohio – Facing match point in set three, all signs pointed to the Northern Kentucky women's volleyball team falling in three sets to Fresno State in Friday afternoon's opener. Despite being down 26-25 in the third set, the Norse rallied to pull off three straight points to stay alive – keeping momentum on their side. The Norse pummelled the Bulldogs in set four, 25-14, before coming back from another large deficit in set five, including being down 14-11, 15-14, and 16-15, pulling the rabbit out of the hat with three consecutive kills from
Sydney Bray,
Ivey Stocks, and
Ava Hoying to secure a season-opening victory.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Northern Kentucky – 3, Fresno State – 2
LOCATION: Covelli Center – Columbus, Ohio (Jim Stone Challenge)
RECORDS: Northern Kentucky: 1-0 (0-0 HL), FSU: 0-1 (0-0 P12)
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
– Northern Kentucky out-hit the Bulldogs .199-.170 in the match, recording 78 kills to Fresno State's 57.
– NKU led in every major statistical category except blocks, recording eight service aces to Fresno State's five, and 100 digs to Fresno's 91.
– Four Norse posted double-digit kills in the match, as sophomore outside hitter
Luci Heid led the way with 16 kills for the Norse. Heid also contributed five block assists and six digs.
– Middle blocker
Ivey Stocks posted a ridiculously efficient 15-0-23 attacking line, with five total blocks on the night.
–
Ava Hoying totaled 15 kills, three service aces, eight digs, and a block on the evening.
–
Katie Noschang had nine kills, five total blocks, including a pair of solos, six digs, and four assists.
–
Sydney Bray posted her first double-double of the season with 11 kills and 18 digs, also contributing three blocks.
– Setter
Abby Pickard recorded a double-double of 65 assists and 14 digs to start her sophomore campaign, also contributing four kills.
– Libero
Daisy Cluxton recorded 26 digs with three assists and a service ace on the afternoon.
–
Allison Risley (four kills, ten digs, two aces) and
Emma Adkins (three kills, eight digs, two assists) also featured heavily for the Norse.
NORSE NOTES
– The victory marked Northern Kentucky's first win to open the season since a 3-1 victory over South Alabama on August 30, 2019.
– Heid's 16 kills marked a new career-high, surpassing the 13 she had in last year's Horizon League Championship loss to Wright State.
– Pickard tied her career-high of 65 assists, which she also did on October 4 last year vs. Youngstown State.
– Cluxton smashed her previous career-high of 11 digs with 26 on the evening.
FOLLOW NORSE VOLLEYBALL
Get in the game and follow Northern Kentucky's NCAA Division I women's volleyball team through @NKUNorseVB on X, @NKUNorseVBall on Instagram, nkunorsevball on Facebook and subscribe to the NKU Norse YouTube channel.
