UNI Volleyball Finishes Loyola in Three

Saturday, October 27

Cedar Falls, Iowa

7 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

18-7 (12-0MVC)

Loyola (Trick or Treat with the Panthers)

14-10 (6-6MVC)

Loyola Chicago

Northern Iowa

UNI Volleyball Finishes Loyola in Three

10/27/2018 10:08:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The UNI volleyball team handled the Ramblers of Loyola in three sets in the McLeod Center on Saturday night, winning with set scores of 25-16, 28-26, 25-17.

After Friday's heart wrenching five set victory, the Panthers figured out how to play without standout outside hitter Karlie Taylor, making easy work of the Missouri Valley's fifth place team.

Efficiency was the key to the Panthers success, hitting .420 as a team with only seven attack errors as a team. Five Panthers finished the match with attack percentages of .400 or higher in Rachel Koop (.400), Jaydlin Seehase (.421), Inga Rotto (.444), Piper Thomas (.457), and Kate Busswitz (.538).

Piper Thomas, while double and triple teamed most the night, recorded a team high 18 kills and added two block assists. Jaydlin Seehase finished with 17 kills, the sixteenth time this season the sophomore outside hitter has finished in double digit point totals. Kate Busswitz finished with seven kills and Inga Rotto and Baylee Petersen each finished with five.

Defensively, the play of Baylee Petersen has turned heads as the 5'8 freshman outside hitter led the team with 14 digs and recorded a team high three blocks. Petersen has played in just 69% of the Panthers sets this season but with Karlie Taylor's absence the last two matches, Petersen has seen an increase in playing time and making the most of it. Petersen has tallied 35 digs and 6 blocks the last two matches along with 14 kills, four assists and a service ace.

A day after reaching her 1,000th career assist, junior Rachel Koop added 42 assists in the three set victory. Kendyl Sorge finished the match with 11 digs while Abbi Staack finished with eight and Taylor Hedges finished with five.

Finishing tonight's match with 18 kills, Piper Thomas is now just one kill from tying Kim Kester for #4 on the UNI all-time career kills list with 1,439 career kills.

Up Next

The Panthers will be tested next week, hitting the road to take on the MVC's second and third place teams in Bradley and Illinois State. The Panthers defeated Bradley 3-1 in the McLeod Center on Oct. 6 and defeated Illinois State 3-0 on Oct. 5th. Friday's match against Bradley will be broadcast on ESPN3 while Saturday's match against Illinois State will be on ESPN+.