Panther volleyball scores 3-1 triumph versus Valparaiso

Saturday, October 15

Cedar Falls, Iowa

7 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

16-6,9-0MVC

Valparaiso

17-4,5-4MVC

Valparaiso

UNI

Players on the court awaiting start of play

Panther volleyball scores 3-1 triumph versus Valparaiso

10/15/2022 10:03:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Match 22 Stats vs. Valparaiso

First half of league play ends with perfect 9-0 mark

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Saturday's Missouri Valley Conference meeting with the Valparaiso Beacons resulted in a 3-1 win (20-25, 25-16, 27-25, 25-18) for the UNI Panther volleyball team in front of 2,280 fans in the McLeod Center. UNI (16-6 overall, 9-0 MVC) tallied its ninth victory in a row and completed an undefeated first half to its conference schedule against Valpo (17-4 overall, 5-4 MVC).

Winners in 15 of their last 16 tilts overall, the Panthers bettered the Beacons in attack percentage (.219 to .094) and digs (57 to 52). Valpo owned a 13-to-8 blocking edge and a seven-to-six ace advantage. Emily Holterhaus notched a match-high 19 kills. Inga Rotto's career-best sixth consecutive double-figure outing included 11 kills on .389 hitting. Tayler Alden had 38 assists, 12 digs, and nine kills in a double-double. Sydney Petersen's second-ever double-double featured 18 digs and 10 assists while tying with Alden and Baylee Petersen for a team-high two aces each.

Valpo opened the match on a 5-1 run before four consecutive Rotto terminations leveled the first frame, 5-5. UNI later built a 10-8 lead on a block from Carly Spies and Kaylissa Arndorfer, but Valpo quickly bounced back. A four-point spurt started a 14-4 swing as Valpo pulled away and held on for a 25-20 win.

UNI quickly jumped out to an 8-2 edge in the second set. After Valpo climbed within 16-12, Alden answered with a kill and an ace to begin a six-point Panther outburst. A closing kill by Arndorfer finished the 25-16 triumph that forced a 1-1 tie in the contest. UNI also improved to 9-0 in second sets in MVC action.

The Beacons were ahead for most of the third stanza and pushed the margin to 22-15 before the Panthers responded. Rotto and Holterhaus alternated with kills to complete an 8-1 swing that drew UNI level at 23-23. Alden's kill on Valpo's first set-point chance produced a 24-24 tie. Holterhaus turned the next Beacons set point aside with her own termination. An Alden ace followed by another offensive score from Holterhaus completed a 27-25 Panther win to gain a 2-1 edge in the tilt.

A 4-4 deadlock within the fourth frame was broken up when four Panther points in a row carried UNI to an 8-4 lead. Valpo remained close until Alden, Holterhaus, Arndorfer, and Spies combined for a five-kill streak. Although the Beacons trimmed their 19-10 deficit down to 21-18, a pair of Kira Fallert terminations bookended a 4-0 match-ending spurt in UNI's 25-18 victory which guaranteed a season sweep of Valpo. The Panthers also extended their fourth-set winning run to 11 triumphs in a row.

Next on the UNI slate are the MVC's two other Indiana programs with the Panthers going to Indiana State and Evansville for a two-contest road swing. First serve Friday against the Sycamores in ISU Arena is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET (5 p.m. CT) with broadcasts on News/Talk 1540 KXEL and ESPN3. The road trip finale Saturday versus the Purple Aces at Meeks Family Fieldhouse will start at 5 p.m. CT and be covered via UNIpanthers.com and ESPN3.