UNI Topples No. 19 Iowa State in Five

Tuesday, September 12

Ames, Iowa

6:30 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

8-3

Iowa State

7-1

UNI

Iowa State

UNI Topples No. 19 Iowa State in Five

9/12/2017 9:11:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score UNI-iowastate-box-vb-2017

Box Score (PDF)

AMES, Iowa - The University of Northern Iowa volleyball squad recorded its third win of the season over a ranked foe and did so by knocking off previously undefeated No. 19-ranked Iowa State, 3-2. UNI won by set scores of 25-21, 21-25, 25-23, 17-25, 15-11.

UNI (8-3 overall) defeated Iowa State (7-1 overall) for the second straight year in a five-set match. It marks UNI's first win in Ames since a Panther victory in 2008.

The Panthers are one of three NCAA Division I volleyball teams with three wins over ranked foes this season - joining Florida and Creighton in that elite list.

UNI came out strong with a 25-21 triumph in the opening set, only to see the Cyclones even the match at 1-1 with their own 25-21 win in the second.

The Panthers looked dominant midway through the third set with a 17-10 lead. However, the Cyclones stormed back and knotted the set at 22-22. UNI stemmed the tide and was able to post a 25-23 third-set victory.

The Cyclones forced a fifth and deciding set with a decisive 25-17 win in the fourth.

UNI scored the first two points of the fifth set and pushed the margin to 8-4 before an Iowa State timeout. The Cyclones clawed back to within 11-10 and forced a Panther timeout. UNI came out of the break and scored on a kill by Piper Thomas. Taylor Hedges followed with a service ace and Bri Weber tallied a solo block to give UNI a 14-10 lead and four match points. Hedges served an error, but Weber answered on the next point with a kill to give the Panthers the five-set triumph.

Thomas led the Panthers with a match-high 17 kills. Thomas and Moriah Johnson tied for team-high honors with five blocks. Weber and Karlie Taylor each contributed with 14 kills. Weber earned her 39th career double-double with 13 digs. Jaydlin Seehase also chipped in with 11 kills, four digs and two blocks. Heather Hook notched a match-high 43 assists. Kendyl Sorge recorded 20 digs to lead the Panthers.

UNI will travel to Omaha, Nebraska, to take part in the Omaha Challenge this Friday and Saturday. UNI will take on Omaha (Fri., 7 p.m.), No. 10 Nebraska (Sat., noon) and Kansas State (Sat., 5:30 p.m.).

NOTES: UNI has defeated Iowa State 11 times when the matchup has taken place in Ames ... UNI leads the all-time series, 34-28 ... head coach Bobbi Petersen is 8-10 vs. the Cyclones.

Team                                         Top 25 Wins
UNI                   3
Creighton                                                 3
Florida                                                    3
Colorado State                                         2
Kansas                                                   2
Kentucky                                                2
Minnesota                                               2
Nebraska                                                2
Oregon                                                   2
Penn State                                              2
Texas                                                     2
UCLA                                                     2
USC                                                       2