Weber, Haneline Power UNI Past SIU, 3-1

Friday, September 25

Cedar Falls, Iowa

7 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

7-7 (1-0MVC)

Southern Illinois

9-5 (0-1MVC)

Southern Illinois

UNI

Weber, Haneline Power UNI Past SIU, 3-1

9/25/2015 9:09:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - Kayla Haneline and Bri Weber combined for 38 kills in leading the University of Northern Iowa volleyball squad to a 3-1 win over the Southern Illinois Salukis in the Missouri Valley Conference opener for both schools on Friday at the McLeod Center. UNI won by set scores of 25-23, 16-25, 25-17 and 25-21.

UNI (7-7 overall, 1-0 MVC) won its conference opener for the 29th time in 30 tries and improved to 16-0 at home in MVC openers. Southern Illinois falls to 9-5 overall and 0-1 in MVC action.

Weber tallied a career-high 21 kills and posted 11 digs in the triumph. Haneline buried 17 kills and hit .600 for the match. Amie Held added a match-high 19 digs for the Panthers. Heather Hook tallied 51 assists and collected nine digs.

Weber's 21 kills was the most for a Panther since Macy Ubben tallied 21 kills against South Dakota State on Oct. 1, 2013.

Back-to-back kills by Weber helped close out the first set for the Panthers, 25-23. UNI hit .290 in the opening set with 12 kills and only three attack errors. SIU came back strong in the second set and notched a 25-16 to even the match.

The Salukis came out and recorded a 4-1 lead to begin the third set. UNI rallied and came up with a 7-1 run to turn a 14-13 lead into a 21-14 advantage late in the third set. UNI was able to secure a 25-17 win in the pivotal third set.

The Panthers trailed 20-17 in the fourth set before rallying with an 8-1 spurt to close the match and take the victory, 25-21. UNI hit .297 in the fourth set with 16 kills and five attack errors. SIU hit a match-low .132 in the fourth stanza with seven attack errors.

UNI will be back in action on Saturday at 7 p.m. in the McLeod Center against the Evansville Purple Aces. Evansville dropped a 3-0 matchup at Drake tonight.