The Norse volleyball team (9-11 overall, 7-2 Horizon League) is in a tie for second place in the Horizon League standings with Green Bay, after scoring two home wins over the weekend. Wright State leads the way at 9-0 halfway through the league portion of the schedule.
The Norse knocked off the Robert Morris Colonials (8-13, 1-8), 3-0 (25-17, 25-14, 25-12) on Friday. The Norse had an impressive .304 hitting percentage with 41 kills minus 10 errors on 102 attempts to go with 36 assists, 11 blocks and eight aces and held Robert Morris to a .019 clip with 23 kills minus 21 errors on 105 attempts to go with 20 assists, one block and one ace.
Senior outside hitter Reilly Briggs had 12 kills and four blocks recording a .476 hitting percentage with junior outside hitter Skyy Smith recording a .727 percentage with eight kills and four blocks. Senior defensive specialist Anna Burke had 11 digs and eight assists. Junior setter Katy Yopko had 12 assists, two aces and nine digs. Freshman setter Madison Tracy had 12 assists, three aces and eight digs.
The Norse had to go five against Youngstown State (8-12, 2-7) but pulled out the 3-2 win by 21-25, 25-15, 32-30, 23-25, 15-10 scores. Burke had 28 digs and eight assists moving her to 996 digs for her career.
NKU had 67 kills minus 21 errors on 188 attempts for a .245 hitting percentage to go with 61 assists and three aces. Youngstown State had 68 kills minus 35 errors for a .170 hitting percentage to go with 66 assists, three aces and five blocks.
The Norse had a season-high 20 blocks as a team. They’ve had 10 or more blocks 10 times this year. Redshirt senior Abby Kanakry had 12 kills, seven digs and five blocks and Smith had five blocks and 10 kills for a .476 hitting percentage.
Graduate student outside hitter Anna Brinkmann had 14 kills on a .227 hitting percentage to go with 10 digs for her ninth double-double of the year. Briggs had 13 kills and four blocks for a .222 hitting percentage.
Tracy had a career-high 32 assists to go with eight digs and three kills. Sophomore defensive specialist Lucy Cluxton added two aces.
NKU plays two games at Regents Hall over the weekend. The Cleveland State Vikings (7-13, 4-5) come to town Friday for a 6 p.m. game.
Men’s Soccer
The Norse ended a six-game winless skid with a 2-1 win against the visiting Cleveland State Vikings on Saturday. They are 4-9-1 overall and 2-5 in Horizon League play.
The Norse outshot the Vikings, 6-5 on goal. Senior forward Sam Robinson had both NKU goals. Junior Deryn Armstrong and freshman Christian Sjolander had assists with senior goalkeeper Daniel Bermingham recording four saves.
NKU lost a 2-1 game on the road Wednesday at Indiana University-Purude University at Indianapolis. The Jaguars had 18 shots including 10 on goal to 15 shots with eight on goal for the Norse. Senior Brodie Sallows had the NKU goal and redshirt freshman goalkeeper Nick Lemen had seven saves.
NKU plays host to the Milwaukee Panthers on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Women’s Soccer
The Norse (1-10-2, 1-5-2) scored their fifth goal of the season this week but they lost two more Horizon League games.
NKU dropped a 1-0 decision at the Oakland University Grizzlies on Thursday. Oakland outshot NKU, 14-4 including 4-2 on goal. Junior goalkeeper Mimi Stines had three saves playing the first half before graduate student Mickayla Kowalski played the second half between the pipes.
The Norse then dropped a 3-1 decision at home to the Horizon League-leading Milwaukee Panthers on Sunday at home. The Panthers had 21 shots including 13 on goal to seven shots with three on goal for the Norse. Stines and Kowalski once again split halves with Stines recording six saves and Kowalski four.
NKU travels to Green Bay on Saturday for a noon (eastern) start.
Cross Country
The Norse sent teams to the Pink Classic Meet on Friday at Bradley University in Illinois and the Jenna Strong Classic at Wilmington (Ohio) College.
The men finished 28th in the Pink Classic with 713 points. Simon Kenton graduate Kyle Mastin led the way placing 59th in 24 minutes, 24.9 seconds in the red race.
The men also sent six runners to the Jenna Strong Classic. The Norse took 20th with 572 points. Freshman Jacob Messer led the way taking 89th in 28:10.7.
The women finished 34th overall with 963 points in the Pink Classic. Simon Kenton graduate Sophia DeLisio, a senior, led the Norse finishing 136th in 22:18.9.
Next up for the Norse is the Horizon League championships Oct. 29 at the Oakland University cross country course. The women’s race starts at 11 a.m. followed by the men’s race.
Men’s Golf
The Norse played in one final match for the fall in the Xavier Invitational at TPC River’s Bend in Maineville, Ohio taking fifth out of 12 teams shooting a total of 884.
Senior Miles Parroco tied for seventh with a 213 score in three rounds to lead the way. He had 37 pars falling just one bend the leader.
Men’s Tennis
The Norse played in the ITA Ohio Valley Regionals at the Bass-Rudd Tennis Center in Louisville on Friday and Saturday.
Graduate student Nick Nienhaus won singles games Friday and Saturday before losing for NKU. He also teamed up with junior Santiago Casamayor for a doubles win Friday.
