University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
2-3
Creighton
3-1
Creighton Rallies Past UNI in Kentucky, 3-2
9/5/2014 1:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Northern Iowa volleyball team met up with a familiar foe in the Creighton Bluejays on Friday in the Commonwealth Classic.
The Jays rallied from a 2-0 deficit vs. the Panthers to score a five-set victory, 3-2 (15-25, 23-25, 25-16, 25-22, 15-5).
The Panthers got it going early with a 10-3 lead in set one. UNI had six different players record a kill to begin the match. UNI opened up a 20-10 lead en route to a 25-15 victory in set one. The Panthers recorded a .296 hitting percentage with 12 kills and four errors, while limiting the Bluejays to a .062 hitting percentage and eight errors in the first set.
UNI (2-3 overall) used an up and down effort in set two to take a 2-0 lead. UNI led 11-6 before a 5-1 run by Creighton pulled the Bluejays to within 12-11. Creighton gained its first lead of the match at 14-13 and pushed the lead to 21-19. But the Panthers closed the set on a 6-2 run that was keyed by two kills from Autumn Alitz. UNI won set two, 25-23.
The Jays jumped out to a 9-3 advantage in the third set. Creighton had a .371 hitting percentage with 16 kills and three errors in earning the 25-16 win in the third set.
Creighton (3-1 overall) knotted the match at two sets each with a 25-22 win in the fourth set. The Jays looked to be in total control with leads of 14-5 and 19-9. But UNI used a 6-0 run to cut the lead to 19-15. The Panthers continued to surge and cut it to 24-22 on a kill from Leigh Pudwill. Creighton's Leah McNary notched a kill on the next point to give the Jays a 25-22 win in the fourth set.
The Panthers scored the first point of the fifth set, but the Bluejays scored the next 10 points to take control of the match. The Jays completed the 2-0 comeback with a 15-5 win in the final set.
UNI will take on the No. 6-ranked USC Trojans on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. (CT) to close out the Commonwealth Classic at the Memorial Coliseum.
NOTES: Eryca Hingtgen tallied her third double-double of the season with 12 kills and 11 digs … Kayla Haneline reached double figures in kills for the third time this season with 10 … Haneline tied a season high with two service aces … Amie Held collected a season-high 25 digs … Ashlee Sinnott tied a season-high with 13 digs … it's the first time since last year's match vs. Wisconsin (Sept. 6, 2013) that the Panthers lost a match after it had won the first two sets … UNI and Creighton met for the 46th time on the volleyball court but for the first time as non-conference opponents … UNI still leads the all-time series vs. Creighton, 40-6.
