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University of Northern Iowa
Missouri State
Panthers Win 3-0 at Missouri State
11/13/2009 7:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 13, 2009
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. --- The University of Northern Iowa volleyball team secured at least a share of the Missouri Valley Conference title with a 3-0 win at Missouri State Friday night at the Hammonds Student Center. The Panthers took the match by scores of 25-21, 25-21 and 25-16 to win their 23rd consecutive match.
Shannon Aschoff led the Panthers with 12 kills, and Bre Payton, Amy Braun and Michelle Burow each added nine. Payton finished with 34 assists, and Ellie Blankenship finished with 16 digs, while Braun collected 15. Krista DeGeest led the Panthers with four blocks.
The Panthers (25-2, 15-0 MVC) outhit the Bears (18-9, 11-4 MVC), .264 to .190. Both teams finished with six team blocks, and the Panthers tallied 53 digs to MSU's 48.
The Panthers trailed 21-20 in the first set before rattling off five straight points to claim the victory. Aschoff tallied five kills in the first frame.
Aschoff notched another five kills in the second set, and Payton and Braun each added four. The Panthers held a 19-15 lead, but the Bears rallied to cut their deficit to 19-18. UNI scored the next three points, building a 23-19 lead, but the Bears scored consecutive points to cut the UNI edge to 23-21. The Panthers scored the final two points of the set to take a 25-21 win.
UNI held just a 17-15 lead in the third set, but the Panthers were able to outscore the Bears 8-1 the rest of the way to take the set, 25-16, and the match, 3-0. Braun finished with six kills in that set, helping UNI to outhit the Bears, .333 to .088.
The Panthers can clinch the MVC championship outright when they return to action on Saturday at second-place Wichita State.
