UNI Wins 5-Set Thriller at Butler

Friday, September 11

Indianapolis, Ind.

5 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

4-4

Butler

2-6

UNI

Butler

Photo by: Mike Dunlop

UNI Wins 5-Set Thriller at Butler

9/11/2015 7:19:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

The Panthers improve to 4-4 on the season.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - The University of Northern Iowa women's volleyball team won a five-set thriller on Friday evening against the Butler Bulldogs in the Butler All-American Classic at Hinkle Fieldhouse. UNI won by set scores of 17-25, 25-15, 25-23, 23-25 and 15-12.

UNI (4-4 overall) overcame a 5-0 deficit in the fifth set to post its second consecutive victory on the season. Freshman Bri Weber recorded her fifth double-double with 15 kills and 12 digs. Junior Kayla Haneline notched a career-high three service aces (two in the fifth set), 14 kills and seven blocks. Freshman Piper Thomas posted 13 kills to tie a career-high she set earlier in the day vs. Cincinnati. Sophomore setter Heather Hook dished out 54 assists to go along with 19 digs and six kills. Junior Amie Held tallied a team-best 21 digs. Junior Ashlee Sinnott set a carer-high with 19 digs vs. the Bulldogs.

UNI led 12-8 in the first set only to see Butler tie the score at 15-15. The Bulldogs then closed the first set on a 10-2 run to take it 25-17.

The Panthers had another strong start in the second set with a 10-3 lead. The Panthers were able to secure a 25-15 victory to even the match.

UNI looked to take control in the third set. UNI led 20-17 but Butler scored four in a row to seize control of the third set. UNI refused to buckle and scored four consecutive points to give the Panthers a 25-23 third-set victory.

Butler (2-6 overall) rallied from a 16-9 deficit in the fourth set to force a fifth and deciding set. The Bulldogs trailed 23-20 before scoring five straight points to take the set, 25-23.

Butler continued its run in the fifth set by scoring the first five points of the deciding set. UNI still trailed 8-4 before responding with an 8-1 run that was capped by a pair of aces from Haneline. Butler refused to fold and cut UNI's lead to 13-12. However, the Panthers got a block from Lindsey Schulz and Thomas along with a kill from Weber to close out the five-set thriller, 15-12.

The victory was UNI's first five-set win since a 3-2 win at Missouri State on Oct. 4, 2014.

UNI has clinched a share of the Butler All-American Classic title and will look to finish 3-0 in the tourney tomorrow with a 1 p.m. matchup with the Illinois-Chicago Flames.
Box Score