Oct. 25, 2000

NKU HITS ROAD FOR SIUE, USI

Norse face crucial GLVC road matches this weekend

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University volleyball team, now 19-5 overall, will play a pair of important Great Lakes Valley Conference road matches this weekend. NKU, 9-2 in the GLVC and ranked No. 19 nationally in this week’s Division II poll, will face Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville at 8 p.m. Friday. The Norse will then travel to Evansville, Ind., on Saturday for a 2 p.m. match against GLVC leader University of Southern Indiana (11-1 GLVC). The team with the best conference winning percentage at the end of the regular season will host the GLVC Tournament Nov. 9-11. NKU must win both matches this weekend to remain in contention to earn the No. 1 seed. The Norse own a 9-1 record against SIUE in the all-time series with the Cougars, and NKU is 24-5 all-time against Southern Indiana. NKU has not lost to Southern Indiana since the 1994 season and owns 10 consecutive victories against the Lady Eagles. NKU’s home winning streak was snapped at 46 consecutive matches last Friday night when Lewis University defeated the Norse, 15-9, 16-14, 15-7, in Regents Hall. The Norse rebounded on Saturday with a pair of 3-0 wins against both the University of Wisconsin-Parkside and the University of New Haven. Prior to last Friday, NKU had won 57 consecutive matches against GLVC opponents in Regents Hall dating back to Sept. 3,1995, when IPFW defeated the Norse in five games. NKU senior middle hitter Jessica Buroker continues to lead the GLVC in hitting percentage (.399), and she also has 300 kills. Buroker leads NKU with 246 digs and ranks No. 2 on the team with 48 block assists. Junior outside hitter Bethany Gastright leads the GLVC in kills per game (5.2). Junior middle hitter Julie Hathorn leads NKU with 55 block assists, and she is No. 1 on the team with 38 service aces.