UNI Takes Down Illinois State, 3-1

Friday, October 30

Cedar Falls, Iowa

7 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

14-11 (8-4MVC)

Illinois State

17-8 (7-5MVC)

Illinois State

UNI

Photo by: Mike Dunlop

UNI Takes Down Illinois State, 3-1

10/30/2015 9:21:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - The University of Northern Iowa volleyball squad recorded a 3-1 victory over the Illinois State Redbirds on Friday in the McLeod Center. UNI won by scores of 22-25, 25-22, 25-21, 25-23.

UNI (14-11 overall, 8-4 MVC) used a double-double effort from Amie Held and timely kills from Lindsey Schulz to even the season series against the Redbirds. Illinois State (17-8 overall, 7-5 MVC) got 15 kills and a .500 hitting percentage from Jaelyn Keene in the loss.

Held achieved her 30th career 20-plus dig effort as she posted 22 digs to go along with 15 kills. It marks the eight double-double of the season for Held. Schulz recorded eight kills on only 13 attacks (.615 hitting percentage). Two of Schulz's eight kills came at the close of the third set as she posted back-to-back kills for the final two points of a 25-21 UNI victory.

Illinois State took the opening set, 25-22, as UNI posted an .043 hitting percentage with nine errors.

The Panthers bounced back and evened the match with a 25-22 win in the second set. UNI held a 17-10 lead but Illinois State rallied to tie the match at 18-18. UNI though would not relinquish the lead and hung on to square the match after two sets.

UNI took control in the third set with a 25-21 win. The Panthers notched 17 kills to go against only four errors (.295 hitting percentage) in the third set. The Panthers used a balanced offensive attack in the third stanza as Held, Schulz and Kayla Haneline each recorded four kills.

The Redibrds held a 21-18 lead late in the fourth set and appeared on the verge of forcing a fifth and deciding set. But the Panthers refused to give in and went on a 5-1 run to take a 23-22 lead. With the set tied at 23-23, Piper Thomas posted a kill and then Illinois State's Lexi Wallen committed an attack error to give the victory to the Panthers.

UNI will be back in action Saturday in the McLeod Center at 7 p.m. against the Indiana State Sycamores.