University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
19-10, 13-4MVC
Bradley
1-26, 1-16MVC
Pudwill Leads UNI to 3-0 Sweep at Bradley
11/21/2014 1:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
PEORIA, Ill. – The University of Northern Iowa volleyball team climbed one step closer to securing the No. 2 seed for the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament with a 3-0 win at Bradley on Friday.
The Panthers won by set scores of 25-22, 26-24, 25-13. UNI's Leigh Pudwill led the offensive effort with 15 kills. Pudwill hit .382 with 15 kills on 34 attacks with only two errors.
Kinsey Caldwell recorded her team-leading 14th double-double with 30 assists and 10 digs. Lindsey Schulz posted a match-high six blocks, while a trio of Panthers recorded double-figure digs totals – Caldwell (10 digs), Ashlee Sinnott (13 digs) and Amie Held (16 digs).
Wichita State scored a 3-0 win over Indiana State to allow the Shockers to keep pace with UNI in the race for the No. 2 seed in the MVC Tournament. UNI can secure the No. 2 seed with a win at Loyola on Saturday or a Wichita State loss at Illinois State. UNI and Wichita State enter the day of the MVC regular season slate with matching 13-4 league records.
Illinois State has locked up the No. 1 seed for the MVC Tournament set for Nov. 27-29 in the McLeod Center.
UNI and Bradley battled in a first set that featured 12 ties. The Panthers led 10-6 but the Braves battled back to tie the set at 10-10. The match was tied 22-22 before the Panthers were able to secure the final three points of the initial set, 25-22.
The second set featured big run after big run and it was the Panthers that had the last one to take it, 26-24. Bradley led 15-12 when UNI went on a 6-0 run to take an 18-15 lead. Bradley responded with six straight to retake the lead, 21-18. UNI knotted it at 21-21 only to see Bradley pull back ahead 23-21. The Braves led 24-22 when the Panthers closed the set with four consecutive points.
UNI was able to pull away for a 25-13 victory in the third set to close out the sweep. UNI limited Bradley to a minus-.027 hitting percentage in the final set.
UNI will close the regular season at Loyola on Saturday at 7 p.m. UNI will look to extend its streak of 20-win seasons to 17 in a row with a victory on Saturday over the Ramblers.
NOTES: Pudwill recorded her eighth double-figure kill total in MVC matches and 14th overall double-figure kill total this season … it was Pudwill fifth match this season with 15 or more kills ... UNI moved to 19-10 overall and 13-4 in MVC play with the 3-0 win at Bradley ... the Braves dropped to 1-26 overall and 1-16 in league action.
