HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - Cammi Welter and Kristin Koralewski combined for 42 kills and 29 digs Friday night as the Northern Kentucky University volleyball team defeated 13th-ranked Grand Valley State University, 30-25, 30-20, 24-30, 24-30, 17-15, in Regents Hall.
Welter finished with 23 kills and 13 digs, while Koralewski added 19 kills and 16 digs. NKU rallied from a 5-1 deficit in the fifth game to improve to 6-5 this season. It also marked the 699th all-time victory for the NKU volleyball program, which started in 1975.
The Norse can reach the 700-win plateau Saturday when they play host to Ferris State University at 12:30 p.m. NKU will also meet 21st-ranked Wheeling Jesuit University at 5:30 p.m.
Wheeling Jesuit is 11-1 overall, and the match with NKU could decide who is ranked No. 1 in the upcoming NCAA Division II Great Lakes Region poll.
On Friday, NKU began the Great Lakes Region Crossover with a 30-13, 30-15, 30-27 win over Alderson-Broaddus College. That set up the Norse’s showdown with three-time defending NCAA Division II Great Lakes Region champion Grand Valley State.
NKU won the first two games against the Lakers, but Grand Valley State responded by taking the next two to force a fifth game. The Lakers jumped out to a 5-1 lead and eventually held a 7-4 advantage, but NKU used an 8-3 run to take a 12-10 lead on a kill by Nicole Salisbury.
Grand Valley State rallied and tied the match at 14-14 on a kill by Sabrina Bird, but NKU scored three of the final four points to wrap up the victory. Welter recorded a kill to give the Norse a 16-15 lead, and a Grand Valley State attack error ended the game and gave NKU the match.
Andrea Lanham finished with 62 assists and 14 digs for NKU, while Maggie Pugh added 10 kills, a .320 hitting percentage and five blocks. Koralewski finished with four service aces for NKU, which has won five straight matches.
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Cammi Welter |