WKU Tops Panthers at Huskie Invitational, 3-1

Friday, September 18

DeKalb, Ill.

4 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

4-7

Western Kentucky

11-2

UNI

Western Kentucky

Kayla Haneline recorded her 500th career kill in the match vs. Western Kentucky.

WKU Tops Panthers at Huskie Invitational, 3-1

9/18/2015 5:44:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

DEKALB, Ill. – The University of Northern Iowa women's volleyball squad could not climb out of a 2-0 deficit and dropped a 3-1 decision to the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at the Huskie Invitational.

Western Kentucky won by set scores of 25-22, 25-15, 22-25, 25-15. WKU improves to 11-2 on the season, while UNI falls to 4-7 overall.

UNI junior Kayla Haneline recorded her 500th career kill in the second set on her sixth kill of the match. Haneline would tally nine kills against the Hilltoppers. Sophomore Heather Hook matched a career-high with six kills and added 28 assists to go along with seven digs. Junior Amie Held tallied a team-best 14 digs. UNI recorded 10 blocks, marking the third time this season the Panthers have posted double-figures in blocks. Freshman Piper Thomas was credited with a career-high six blocks to lead UNI block brigade.

UNI opened up a 13-9 lead in the first set. WKU responded from a timeout with a 10-3 run to take a 19-16 lead. The Panthers closed to within a point on four different occasions but the Hilltoppers hung on for a 25-22 victory. WKU posted a .448 attack percentage with only three attack errors in the opening set, while the Panthers opened up with a .312 attack percentage.

The Hilltoppers used a 6-0 run to post a 13-5 lead early in the second set. The Hilltoppers would hit .418 in the second set en route to a 25-15 win over the Panthers. UNI was limited to a .107 hitting percentage in the second stanza. Haneline's sixth kill of the match was the 500th career kill for the Plattsmouth, Neb., native.

UNI took a 15-9 lead in third set as the Panthers were looking to stay alive vs. the Hilltoppers. The Panthers increased the lead to 22-13 as Bobbi Petersen's squad secured a 25-22 third-set win. WKU committed 10 attack errors in the third set and the Panthers limited the Hilltoppers to a .068 hitting percentage.

The Hilltoppers raced out to a 4-0 start to the fourth set. WKU notched a .483 hitting percentage in the final set with 16 kills and two attack errors. WKU closed out the Panthers with a 25-15 victory in the fourth set.

WKU hit .323 with 61 kills in the match, while UNI hit .160 with 42 kills. The Panthers could not take advantage of WKU's match-high 13 service errors.

UNI will continue action at the Huskie Invitational on Saturday with matches against Alabama (1:30 p.m.) and Northern Illinois (7:30 p.m.).