University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
*Southern Illinois
Volleyball Tops Southern Illinois
9/30/2006 8:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 30, 2006
Cedar Falls, Iowa - Outside hitter Laura Rowen (Hansell, Iowa) led all players with 12 kills as the University of Northern Iowa volleyball team posted a 3-0 sweep of Southern Illinois Saturday night at the West Gym. Game scores were 30-20, 30-16 and 30-18.
UNI hit .282 (44-17-96) as a team, while holding Southern Illinois to .000 hitting (27-27-103). That was the lowest hitting percentage UNI has held an opponent to this season. The Panthers, who rank 13th in the nation in blocking averaging 3.31 blocks per game, racked up 10 total team blocks on the night.
The first game was tied as late as 17-all, before UNI went on a late run to pull away. The Panthers scored 13 of the next 16 points to win 30-20, with four kills by Rowen during that span. The Panthers recorded 17 kills in the first game and had five blocks.
UNI controlled the second game, holding the Salukis to just five kills and a -.161 hitting percentage (5-10-31), while hitting .333 itself (14-4-30). The Panthers broke it open with a 10-2 run midway through the game on Rowen's serve, with a pair of service aces from the 6-0 junior.
The score was tied, 16-all, in game three, but a Danielle Brazda (Omaha, Neb.) kill started an 11-1 run that gave the Panthers a 27-17 lead. Trista Humpal (New Hampton, Iowa) had three kills during that span and also teamed up with Kristin Belzung (Ankeny, Iowa) on a block. The Panthers eventually won, 30-18.
UNI, which has won seven of its last nine matches, improved to 12-6 overall and 4-1 in the Missouri Valley Conference. Southern Illinois fell to 8-8, 3-3 in conference. The Panthers are next in action on Friday, Oct. 6, when they face first-place Creighton (13-3 overall, 5-0 MVC). First serve is set for 7:00 p.m. and the game can be heard on KWLO 1330 AM.
