University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
7-6
Iowa State
7-3
Iowa State Downs UNI, 3-2
9/24/2014 1:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The University of Northern Iowa volleyball squad dropped an in-state battle to the Iowa State Cyclones on Wednesday in front of a crowd of 6,012 in the McLeod Center, 3-2.
Iowa State won by set scores of 25-21, 28-26, 19-25, 16-25, 15-10. The Cyclones moved to 7-3 overall, while the Panthers fell to 7-6.
The Cyclones led from start to finish in the first set. Iowa State led 9-3 before UNI battled back to make it 13-10 in favor of the Cyclones. ISU extended the lead to 21-13 and then UNI came alive. The Panthers rattled off four straight points and forced a Cyclone timeout. The Cyclones were able to hold off the Panthers, 25-21.
The second set saw the Cyclones take another early lead, 8-3. UNI used a 4-2 run but Iowa State pushed the margin back to 13-7. UNI trailed 21-16 when the Panthers began their charge. UNI posted a 6-1 run to tie the set at 22-22. UNI had a pair of chances to win the set at 25-24 and 26-25, but could not convert. Iowa State scored the final three points to take it the set, 28-26.
The Panthers started strong in the third set and took a 9-6 look following a solo block from Autumn Alitz. Iowa State took a timeout trailing 11-7, but the Panthers continued to score. UNI went on a 9-1 run to take a commanding 18-8 lead. The Cyclones mounted a rally and eventually trimmed the Panther lead to 21-17. UNI regrouped after a timeout and scored four of the final five points for a 25-18 win in the third set.
UNI jumped out early in the fourth set with leads of 9-3, 14-6 and 15-7. Iowa State would close the margin to 17-2, but could get no closer. UNI secured the fourth set, 25-16.
Iowa State posted a 3-0 lead to begin the fifth set. But as was the story from set two, UNI fought back and tied the match at 7-7. Iowa State took its final lead of the match at 8-7. The teams switched ends of the floor and the Cyclones added another point before UNI head coach Bobbi Petersen used a timeout. UNI scored to pull within 9-8, but could not get any closer. The Cyclones opened up a 12-9 leads and then pushed the margin to 14-10. The Cyclones scored the match-winner for a 15-10 victory.
UNI will be back in action Saturday in Des Moines as the Panthers travel to take on the Drake Bulldogs at 7 p.m. in the Knapp Center.
NOTES: UNI lost the second set for only the third time this season … UNI is 10-3 in the second set in 2014 … UNI posted a season-high 97 digs … Autumn Alitz notched a pair of career-highs in kills (12) and blocks (7) … Alitz hit .524 in the match with 12 kills and one error on 21 attacks … Kinsey Caldwell tallied a career-high 28 digs ... Caldwell also posted a season-high 52 assists … Iowa State has scored five-set wins over UNI in each of the past two seasons in the McLeod Center ... the loss snapped UNI's five-match win streak.
