University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
Wisconsin
#10 Wisconsin Tops UNI
9/1/2007 8:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 1, 2007
Provo, Utah - Brittney Dolgner had 19 kills to lead the 10th-ranked Wisconsin volleyball team to a 3-0 win over the University of Northern Iowa this afternoon in the BYU Molten Classic. Game scores were 34-32, 30-25 and 30-17.
UNI was led by senior middle blocker Danielle Brazda (Omaha, Neb.) who had 10 kills and eight blocks, while freshman libero Ellie Blankenship (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) had 19 digs. Wisconsin record 67 kills on the match to just 39 for UNI, and the Badgers also had more digs than the Panthers (64-54). Each team recorded 10 total team blocks.
Wisconsin took a hard-fought 34-32 win in game one. The Badgers scored jumped to a 6-3 lead, but UNI rallied to tie the score at nine, after back-to-back kills from Brazda and Kristin Belzung (Ankeny, Iowa). UNI took its largest lead, 13-10, before Wisconsin racked up three straight kills to pull even. UNI held a 20-18 lead after Amy Sampson (Brooklyn, Park, Minn.) and Brazda teamed up for a block, but the Badgers reeled off four straight points to take a 22-20 advantage, forcing a UNI timeout. The Panthers scored three straight points to re-take the lead, 23-22, and neither team would hold more than a one point lead until the game was over. Wisconsin had the first opportunity at game point, leading 29-28, but UNI fought it off, courtesy of a Belzung kill. The Panthers had three game point opportunities of their own - at 30-29, 31-30 and 32-31 - but each time was unable to convert. With the score tied at 32, Wisconsin posted back-to-back kills to earn the win. The first game featured 17 ties and eight lead changes.
UNI scored the first four points of game two, but Wisconsin scored the next four to pull even. Wisconsin held a 12-11 lead and then went on a 6-2 run to open an 18-13 lead, forcing a UNI timeout. The Panthers were able to pull as close as three, 25-22, after a block by Brazda and Sampson, but the Badgers were able to hold on for a 30-25 win.
With UNI holding a 5-4 lead in game three, Wisconsin went on an 11-0 run to open a 15-5 lead and put the game out of reach. The Panthers were unable to get closer than six points the rest of the way, as the Badgers won 30-17 and claimed the match.
With the victory, Wisconsin improves to 4-1 on the season, while UNI falls to 3-2. UNI concludes play at the BYU Molten Classic tonight, facing 15th-ranked host Brigham Young at 8 pm (CDT).
