University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
Creighton
Sampson's Career-High 27 Kills Leads UNI to Thrilling 3-2 Win over Creighton
11/28/2008 7:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 28, 2008
Wichita, Kan. - Senior outside hitter Amy Sampson had a career-best 27 kills, and senior middle blocker Ashten Stelken tied her career-high with 22 kills, to lead the third-seeded University of Northern Iowa volleyball team to a thrilling 3-2 win over second-seeded Creighton in the semifinals of the 2008 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Volleyball Championship. Set scores were 25-20, 26-24, 18-25, 25-27 and 15-8.
Sampson, who also had a career-high 77 total attacks, had a previous career-high in kills of 20 on two occasions, most recently Sept. 23, 2008, against South Dakota State. Stelken equaled her career-best of 22 kills, which she also had Oct. 6, 2007, versus Illinois State. In addition, sophomore setter Jessa Benson had a career-best 60 assists, and outside hitter Shannon Aschoff tied her career-high with 20 digs.
As a team, UNI had 72 kills, its most since recording 74 in the 2007 State Farm Championship match against Illinois State. The Panthers hit .221 (72-26-208) for the match, while Creighton hit .175 (63-29-194). UNI had more digs than Creighton (94-91), while the Bluejays had more blocks (16-12).
The Panthers grabbed an early 5-1 lead to start the match, getting two kills from Sampson, one from Stelken and a solo block from Benson. After a Creighton timeout, UNI scored four more unanswered points to open a 9-1 advantage. The Bluejays fought back to pull within 11-8, but Michele Burow had two straight kills and a block as the Panthers moved back in front 15-8.
UNI got a kill from Sampson and two from Aschoff as it extended its lead to 18-10, and Creighton never got closer than four points the rest of the way as the Panthers won, 25-20. Sampson had five kills and Stelken four in the first set, while Ellie Blankenship, who ended the match with 32 digs, had nine digs in the first set alone.
The Panthers got three kills from Sampson early in the second set as they built a 7-3 lead, and held their advantage through the midpoint of the set. With UNI in front, 15-11, the Bluejays scored four straight to pull even at 15-all. With the score tied at 18, Creighton ran off three straight points to move ahead, 21-18.
Following a timeout, UNI got a kill and a block from Stelken, and three kills from Sampson, as the Panthers rallied to pull even at 23-all. Creighton took a 24-23 lead, but Sampson got the team even with a kill down the line. Burow then put the Panthers in front, 25-24, with a kill, and Beth Discher finished off the second set putting the ball down crosscourt.
Creighton opened a 7-2 lead to start the third set, as UNI had four hitting errors in the first nine points. Sampson had two kills to get the Panthers within 8-5, but the Bluejays scored six of the next eight points to move in front, 14-7. Trailing 16-8, Stelken had three straight kills to get UNI within 16-11. The Panthers pulled as close as three, 19-16, but Creighton ended the set on a 6-2 run and earned the 25-18 third set win.
UNI got two kills from Aschoff as it started the fourth set with a 3-1 lead. Creighton pulled even at five, but Stelken and Burow each had kills as UNI moved in front 7-5. Leading 11-9, the Panthers got three kills from Stelken and two from Sampson during a 9-2 run that saw their lead grow to 20-11.
But Creighton responded. The Bluejays scored seven straight to get within 20-18, before Sampson stopped the rally with a kill. UNI built its lead to 24-21, but the Bluejays got two kills and a service ace to fight off three match points and tie the score at 24-all. UNI pulled ahead, 25-24, on an Aschoff kill, but Creighton scored the final three points to pull out the 27-25 win and force a fifth and deciding set.
UNI scored the first four points of the fifth set, but Creighton rattled off four in a row of its own to even the score. But the Panthers then scored the next six, three on kills from Sampson, to take control 10-4. UNI didn't let the Bluejays to get closer than five points after that, as it claimed a 15-8 win and earned the match victory. UNI hit .280 (8-1-25) in the final set, while Creighton hit .000 (7-7-27).
With the victory, UNI improved to 25-7 overall, while Creighton fell to 18-9. The Panthers advance to tomorrow night's championship match, where they will face the winner of the second semifinal between top-seeded Wichita State and number four seed Missouri State. First serve from Charles Koch Arena will be at 7 pm, and the match will be televised live on Fox Sports Midwest and Comcast Sports Chicago.
