UNI wins in four sets against Murray State

Friday, October 28

Cedar Falls, Iowa

6 p.m.

University of Northern Iowa

19-6,12-0MVC

Murray State

9-13,5-7MVC

Murray St.

UNI

UNI wins in four sets against Murray State

10/28/2022 8:43:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Match 25 Stats vs. Murray State Photo Gallery

Emily Holterhaus tallies 200th career block during 3-1 triumph

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – A resilient UNI Panther volleyball team responded to a first-set loss by racing past the Murray State Racers for the next three frames in a 3-1 victory (21-25, 25-18, 25-22, 25-12) Friday in the McLeod Center. UNI moved to 19-6 overall and secured flawless marks of 12-0 in Missouri Valley Conference action and 9-0 in home matches.

Emily Holterhaus registered the 200^th block of her career while helping UNI to an eight-to-block advantage over Murray State (9-13 overall, 5-7 MVC). The Panthers also led in hitting (.319 and .159) and service aces (nine to seven). The Racers recorded a 45-to-43 edge for digs.

Inga Rotto and Olivia Tjernagel each posted 13 kills for UNI. Rotto, who added a match-best four blocks, was errorless on 23 swings for a .565 attack percentage. Tjernagel had just one error through 19 attacks while hitting .632 for the evening. Sydney Petersen topped all performers with 14 digs to go with a contest-high-tying three aces. Tayler Alden collected 36 assists and finished one dig shy of a double-double.

Murray State quickly jumped out to a lead that it would not relinquish in the first set. The Racers stretched their advantage to 16-11, but the Panthers bounced back and climbed within 20-19 and 22-21. However, Murray State held on and earned a 25-21 triumph to start the contest.

UNI flipped the script within the second frame beginning with a Baylee Petersen ace. Murray State forced a brief 4-4 tie that turned into a 5-3 Panther lead when head coach Bobbi Petersen won a challenge to flip a Kira Fallert error into a kill. UNI stayed in front and notched four total aces in the set with Sydney Petersen's second service winner capping a 25-18 win which evened the tilt at 1-1.

The score was tied, 6-6, during the third stanza prior to a 4-0 Panther run featuring an ace from Alden and a solo block by Holterhaus. After the Racers sliced their deficit to 15-14, UNI answered with eight of the next 11 points. Murray State later fought off four set points before Rotto's 10^th termination of the night closed UNI's 25-22 victory and clinched a 2-1 advantage.

Tjernagel posted two kills to highlight the 5-1 Panther outburst that opened the fourth set. Murray State could not contain UNI from there as the Panthers hit .565 with 14 kills and just one error over 23 attacks. Another 5-1 spurt came at the end including two Fallert aces and another via Sydney Petersen on match point that finished the 25-12 triumph and the four-set win. Across their three consecutive set victories, UNI was tied only thrice and never trailed.

Up next, the Panthers host the Belmont Bruins in the McLeod Center for a 5 p.m. home match Saturday evening. Trick-or-Treat activities begin when the doors open at 4 p.m., and fans are encouraged to wear black for Saturday's Black Out. Broadcasts of the contest will also be available at UNIpanthers.com and ESPN3.