HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, KY – The Wright State volleyball team turned in one of its best efforts of the season on Friday night with a five-set road victory over Northern Kentucky in Horizon League action.
 
The Raiders (16-6, 8-2 HL) won their eighth straight match as they pulled into a tie with Northern Kentucky (12-7, 8-2 HL) for second place in the Horizon League standings while also avenging a five-set home loss to NKU back in September.
 
Wright State finished with 76 kills in the win, including 16 or more in each of the first four sets before eight kills in the deciding fifth set. All five sets were tight, with the Raiders winning the opening set 25-20 before NKU took back-to-back 25-23 sets and Wright State forced the deciding set with a 25-18 fourth set. The Raiders took the fifth set 15-12 to close the night.
 
Callie Martin had an incredible night, finishing with a double-double after recording a match-high 23 kills and adding 14 digs. Three other Raiders also tallied double-digit kills, as Megan Alders recorded 16 and Nyssa Baker had 11, while Sam Ott come into the match late and added 10 kills of her own over the final two sets. Baker added six of Wright State's seven blocks to her final stat line.
 
Lainey Stephenson passed out 56 of Wright State's 67 digs, while three Raiders finished with 20-plus digs – Jenna Story (21), Ellee Ruskaup (20) and Stephenson (20) – and Martin's 14 put four Raiders in double figures defensively.
 
Northern Kentucky saw three players finish with double-digit kill totals, led by Anna Brinkmann's 18, and a pair with 20-plus assists as NKU recorded 15 blocks as a team in the loss.
 
Wright State returns home for its final three matches of the regular season beginning next Thursday night against UIC before a Friday meeting with Horizon League leader Milwaukee and a Sunday afternoon match against Green Bay.