HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University volleyball team, winners of 11 consecutive matches, will hit the road this weekend for a pair of Great Lakes Valley Conference contests.
NKU, now 18-7 overall and 9-2 in the GLVC, will play at Kentucky Wesleyan College at 8 p.m. Friday. The Norse will also meet the University of Southern Indiana at 2 p.m. Saturday in Evansville, Ind.
NKU owns a 26-0 lead in the all-time series with Kentucky Wesleyan, and the Norse hold a 28-5 advantage over Southern Indiana in that series.
DOWN THE STRETCH: NKU is tied with Lewis University (9-2 in the GLVC) for first place in the GLVC standings. Southern Indiana (7-2 in the GLVC) is one game behind both NKU and Lewis in the hunt for the GLVC Tournament’s No. 1 seed.
After this weekend, the Norse will close out the regular season with road contests at Saint Joseph’s College (8 p.m. Nov. 8) and the University of Indianapolis (2 p.m. Nov. 9). NKU is seeking its sixth consecutive GLVC championship. If NKU earns the No. 1 seed in the GLVC Tournament, the Norse will play host to that event Nov. 14-16 in Regents Hall.
AGAINST THE GLVC: Since 1997, NKU is 82-7 against GLVC opponents in regular-season competition. The Norse are also 15-0 in the GLVC Tournament during that period and own NCAA Tournament wins against GLVC foes Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville (1998) and Indiana-Purdue University at Fort Wayne (1998). IPFW left the GLVC after the 2000 season.
TAYLOR AIMS FOR NATION’S NO. 1: NKU junior setter Sara Taylor enters this week averaging 13.88 assists per game, which leads the GLVC. Last week, Taylor totaled 223 assists as NKU posted a 5-0 record. When the updated national statistics are released this week, Taylor could become the first NKU volleyball player in history to be ranked No. 1 in assists.
KALACHE ACES UC, KSU: NKU freshman middle hitter Kaliana Kalache collected 10 service aces Saturday in wins against the University of Charleston (W. Va.) and Kentucky State University. Kalache also finished with a total of 20 kills in those two victories.
KORALEWSKI AVERAGES DOUBLE-DOUBLE: NKU sophomore outside hitter Kristin Koralewski totaled 55 kills, 52 digs and a .490 hitting percentage last week as the Norse posted a 5-0 record and won three matches on the road. Koralewski recorded 17 kills, 20 digs and a .400 hitting percentage last Wednesday as NKU defeated Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference power Findlay, 3-1, on the road in an important regional match.
She also had 12 kills, 11 digs, three service aces and a .647 hitting percentage Saturday as NKU posted a 3-0 win over Charleston. For the week, Koralewski averaged 11.0 kills, 10.1 digs, a .490 hitting percentage and 1.4 service aces.
IN THE GLVC RANKINGS: NKU sophomore middle hitter Maggie Pugh ranks No. 3 in the GLVC in hitting percentage at .342, while junior right-side hitter Cammi Welter is No. 4 at .341. Welter also ranks No. 6 in kills per game at 3.78 kpg.
As a team, NKU ranks No. 1 in the GLVC in hitting percentage (.281) and kills (16.57 kpg).
Maggie Pugh, Cammi Welter