University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
*Evansville
UNI Sweeps Evansville
10/28/2006 8:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 28, 2006
Evansville, Ind. - Senior middle blocker Trista Humpal (New Hampton, Iowa) had 11 kills and seven blocks to lead the University of Northern Iowa volleyball team to a 3-0 win at Evansville Saturday evening. Game scores were 30-24, 30-17 and 30-28. With the win, UNI improves to 19-7 overall, 11-2 in the Missouri Valley Conference, while Evansville falls to 11-13, 5-8 in conference action.
The Panthers hit .311 (50-12-122) in the match, to just .123 (48-30-146) for Evansville. UNI also had 12 total team blocks, while UE had four.
Evansville held a 15-10 lead in game one, but UNI scored six of the next seven points to pull even at 16-all. Laura Rowen (Hansell, Iowa) had three of her five first-game kills during that run. UNI held a 21-20 lead when back-to-back kills from Ashten Stelken (Manchester, Iowa) started a 7-2 run by the Panthers that gave them a 28-22 edge, and eventually the 30-24 win.
UNI never trailed in game two, forging an early 14-9 lead. Evansville pulled within two, 16-14, but that was as close as it would get, as the Panthers finished the game on a 14-3 run to win, 30-17. UNI hit an impressive .455 (17-2-33) in the game.
The third game was tight throughout, as neither team held more than a three point edge at any point. But UNI took the lead for good, 23-22, on a Humpal kill, and eventually put the game away, 30-28, on a kill by Danielle Brazda (Omaha, Neb.).
The Panthers are now a perfect 27-0 all-time against Evansville in volleyball, and the win puts UNI into sole possession of first place in the league, one half game ahead of Wichita State (20-4, 10-2 MVC). UNI's next match is Friday, Nov. 3, when it returns home to face Drake. First serve from the West Gym is 7:00 p.m.
