Aug. 22, 2000

NKU OPENS SEASON AGAINST BELLARMINE

No. 3 Norse travel to Louisville for season opener

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University volleyball team, ranked No. 3 in the AVCA/NCAA Division II preseason poll, opens up the 2000 season this Saturday with a road match at Bellarmine University at 2 p.m. in Louisville, Ky.

NKU posted a 33-2 record last season and advanced to the NCAA Division II Final Four for the first time in school history. The Norse also captured their third consecutive Great Lakes Valley Conference championship and second straight NCAA Division II Great Lakes Region title.

Bellarmine finished 15-19 last year and was 8-8 in the GLVC. NKU defeated Bellarmine twice last season and leads the all-time series with the Knights, 39-8.

NKU owns 15 consecutive victories against Bellarmine, dating back to 1992. Bellarmine’s last win against NKU came on Nov. 14, 1992, when the Knights defeated the Norse in five games. The match this Saturday between NKU and Bellarmine is a non-conference contest. The two will meet in a GLVC match on Oct. 7 at Highland Heights, Ky.

BUROKER NEARS RECORD: Senior middle hitter Jessica Buroker - who became the first NKU volleyball player to ever earn first team All-America honors last year - needs just two block assists to become NKU’s all-time career leader in that category. Buroker enters the season with 276 career block assists, one behind current leader Prudi Downs (277 block assists from 1985-88).

GLVC STREAK: NKU owns 33 consecutive victories against GLVC opponents going into the 2000 season. The Norse posted a 15-0 record in the GLVC regular season last year and later won three consecutive matches in the GLVC Tournament. NKU also won its final 15 GLVC matches of 1998.

The last time NKU lost to a GLVC opponent was on the road at Southern Illinois at Edwardsville on Sept. 25, 1998, when the Cougars defeated the Norse in five games.

NKU HOSTS NAIA POWER GEORGETOWN NEXT WEEK: NKU will return home on Tuesday, Aug. 29, and play host to NAIA powerhouse Georgetown (Ky.) College, which posted a 40-5 record and advanced to the NAIA Elite Eight last season. The match will begin at 7 p.m. in Regents Hall.

Georgetown features five players from northern Kentucky high schools, including standout middle hitter Beth Vieth (St. Henry) and star outside hitter Noelle Nageleisen (Notre Dame). Also on the Tigers roster are Erin Smith (Highlands), Maydie Wilcox (Notre Dame) and Dawn Sparks (Campbell County).