The Northern Kentucky University volleyball team hits the road this weekend in search of its first Horizon League victory, taking on Green Bay and Milwaukee in league action.
Friday’s match against Green Bay will take place at 8 p.m. Eastern and will be broadcast on ESPN3, while the Norse (5-9, 0-2 Horizon) will wrap the weekend on Saturday at 5 p.m. against Milwaukee. Links to live stats for each match will be available at nkunorse.com.
The Phoenix (3-12, 2-0) had a busy weekend of action to open Horizon League play, with three matches in three days, all on the road, picking up a win against Youngstown State in the effort. On the front row, GB will look to Lydia DeWeese, who averages 2.74 kills per set and 0.98 blocks per set, to set the tone. Jillian Bauer is the team’s libero and top server, with 23 service aces to rank third in the League along with 5.64 digs per set, which leads all Horizon League defenders.
Despite being picked to finish second in the League’s preseason poll, Milwaukee has had a rough go during nonconference play. Maggie Dunbar leads the offensive effort for Milwaukee, averaging three kills per set, keying off the passing of Kayla Price, who dishes off over 10 assists per set. Myanna Ruiz is one of only two defenders in the League averaging over five digs per set.
The Norse had a pair of tough losses at home to open the Horizon League schedule this weekend, dropping 3-1 decisions to Valparaiso and UIC in Regents Hall. Haley Libs picked up 31 kills across eight sets while Taylor Snyder averaged over 11 assists per set on the weekend. Jayden Julian had a career night defensively against Valpo, and finished the weekend with a team-best 31 digs to go with 22 kills.
Julian picked up her 1,000th kill on Saturday against UIC, becoming the 17th player in NKU’s 40-year history to accomplish the feat. Additionally, Julian reached a personal milestone in picking up 24 digs against Valparaiso on Friday, besting her career mark of 22 digs set in 2012 in a five-set loss to Manhattan.
Libs has become a favorite target for NKU setter Taylor Snyder, as the freshman outside hitter took 63 attempts, connecting for 20 kills in Friday’s loss to Valparaiso. It marked the second time this season that Libs has reached the 20-kill mark, and the 63 attempts are the fourth-most for a League attacker, and are the most for a player in a non-five-set match.
The Norse have had a rough go the last two weeks, dropping four-straight matches. NKU has not had a losing streak of five or more matches since the 1991 season, when NKU lost five matches in an eight-day span.
Mel Stewart continues her rise up the career dig ranks at NKU, currently standing at 11th with 1,161 digs. The senior libero needs 32 digs to pass her head coach, Liz Hart, and leapfrog into the top 10 on the list.
NKU closes out a three-game road swing on Tuesday, heading up to Dayton to take on the Raiders of Wright State. First serve is set for 7 p.m. from McLin Gymnasium, with the match broadcast on ESPN3 and live stats available at NKUNorse.com.
From NKU Athletics