UNI Upsets No. 10 Nebraska, 3-1

Saturday, September 16

Omaha, Nebraska

12 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

10-3

Nebraska

6-3

UNI

Nebraska

UNI Upsets No. 10 Nebraska, 3-1

9/16/2017 2:08:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

Box Score (PDF)

OMAHA, Nebraska - The University of Northern volleyball team recorded one of the program's most memorable wins with a 3-1 victory over No. 10-ranked Nebraska on Saturday at the Omaha Challenge held in Baxter Arena. UNI won by set scores of 25-20, 25-23, 14-25, 25-21.

"It was a lot of fun and I'm so proud of our kids," UNI head coach Bobbi Petersen said. "I thought Heather (Hook) had an amazing match. She put up hittable balls in every situation."

UNI has recorded four wins this season over ranked foes - the most among NCAA Division I teams. UNI has toppled No. 10 Nebraska (3-1), No. 18 USC (3-1), No. 19 Missouri (3-2) and No. 19 Iowa State (3-2).

It marks the first time in program history that UNI has defeated Nebraska. In fact entering the match, UNI had won only one set all-time against Nebraska and that came all the way back in 1977 in a 1-1 tie.

UNI scored a first-set win over Nebraska, 25-20. UNI has won the first set in 11 matches this season and the Panthers are 10-1 when winning the opening stanza.

The Panthers extended the lead to 2-0 with a 25-23 win in the second set. UNI looked to be cruising to a two-set lead after the Panthers had taken a 21-11 lead. But the Huskers used a 13-2 run to close to within 24-23 of the Panthers. Junior Bri Weber was able to close out the second set with a kill to give the Panthers a 2-0 lead.

Nebraska used a .478 hitting percentage in the third set as the Huskers rolled to a 25-14 win. Nebraska had an 85-percent sideout effort in the third set.

The Panthers began the fourth set on a 9-3 spurt. However, the Huskers turned the momentum around and used a 9-1 run to take a 12-10 advantage of their own. The Panthers rebounded by earning ties at 12-12, 13-13, 14-14 and 15-15.

Redshirt freshman Taylor Hedges notched her third service ace of the match and junior Bri Weber added a kill to give UNI a two-point advantage at 17-15 forcing another Nebraska timeout.

The Huskers knotted the set again at 18-18 only to see the Panthers run off three straight to take a 21-18 lead. The third point of the three-point run came on a service ace from junior Piper Thomas.

UNI maintained at least a two-point cushion the rest o fthe way and closed out the victory on a solo block from Thomas to give the Panthers a 25-21 triumph. Sophomore Karlie Taylor came up big as she recorded six of team-high 15 kills in the fourth set.

Weber and Taylor tied for team-high honors in kills with 15. Taylor posted her seventh double-double of the year by adding 15 digs.

Senior Heather Hook registered seven kills (.636 hitting percentage) to go along with 40 assists and seven digs against the Huskers.

UNI tallied eight service aces - one off the team's season-high of nine they had against Austin Peay (Aug. 27).

UNI will be back in action later this afternoon at 5:30 p.m. against the Kansas State Wildcats.

NOTES: UNI improved to 674-9 all-time when winning the first two sets of a match ... Piper Thomas recorded a match-high four solo blocks ... Bri Weber tied a career-high with three service aces ... UNI is 1-6-1 all-time against Nebraska.