Panther volleyball continues MVC play hosting Bears, Salukis this weekend

UNI volleyball (12-6) vs. Missouri State (9-10)

6 p.m. CT | Oct. 13, 2023
Cedar Falls, Iowa | McLeod Center (6,650)
ESPN+
Panther Sports Radio Network (Chris Kleinhans-Shulz: Play-by-Play)

UNI volleyball (12-6) vs. Southern Illinois (12-6)

5 p.m. CT | Oct. 14, 2023
Cedar Falls, Iowa | McLeod Center (6,650)
ESPN+
Panther Sports Radio Network (Chris Kleinhans-Shulz: Play-by-Play)

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- UNI volleyball looks to improve to 8-0 in Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) play for a second consecutive season this weekend as the Panthers host the Missouri State Bears and Southern Illinois Salukis inside the McLeod Center.

First serve between the Panthers and Bears is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT on Friday. UNI will celebrate Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night with nominated university educators and staff members being recognized between the second and third sets.

Fans are encouraged to wear pink for Saturday's 5 p.m. CT match against Southern Illinois as the program honors Breast Cancer Awareness Month by wearing pink uniforms. A silent auction for UNI's game worn pink jerseys will take place on the McLeod Center concourse.

UNI returns home after picking up road sweeps at both Evansville and Indiana State last weekend, maintaining a one-match lead on Drake for the top spot in the MVC standings. In the Panthers' win against the Purple Aces last Saturday, Emily Holterhaus posted a career-high .704 hitting percentage on 18 terminations as the UNI defense racked up double-digit blocks for the first time all season, while also dominating play along the backline. Against the Sycamores, Layanna Green set a new career-high for a second straight match with six blocks and 11 kills with Holterhaus tallying ten terminations as UNI rolled past Indiana State with a .367 hitting percentage.

UNI matches up with Missouri State for the 86th all-time meeting on Friday in the third-longest running series in program history. The Panthers have won the last three matchups and hold a 32-4 record against the Bears at home. Northern Iowa will attempt to extend its 13-match winning streak against Southern Illinois late Saturday afternoon, its longest streak against active MVC opponents.

Through the first 16 matches of the season, UNI leads the MVC and ranks fourth nationally in assists per set (13.5), while also ranking fourth in Division I with 14.3 kills per frame. The Panther defense also ranks 26th in the country with 16.3 digs per set. Individually, Kira Fallert leads the way for the Panther offense with 208 terminations on the season (3.4 per set), with Holterhaus tallying 202 kills (3.3 per set) and 131 from Olivia Tjernagel (2.8 per set).

UNI's team hitting percentage of .240 sits second among MVC teams, while the Panther defense has held opponents to just .180 hitting, the second-best defensive mark in the league. On the defensive side of the ball, Tjernagel, who tallied her 200th career block last weekend at Indiana State, ranks third in blocks per set in the MVC (1.18) and sixth in total blocks this season (72). On the backline Erin Powers has averaged 4.97 digs per set on the year, while also leading the Panthers with 21 service aces.

MISSOURI STATE BEARS
Wrapping up a five-match homestand in Springfield last weekend, the Bears have split their last six matches, including a five-set victory over Belmont and 3-1 loss to Murray State at the Hammons Student Center last Saturday. After a difficult 9-21 (6-12 MVC) season a year ago where it did not qualify for the MVC Tournament, Missouri State sits at 9-10 as it comes to Cedar Falls. UNI swept the regular season series from the Bears a year ago in a pair of 3-1 wins. A solid defensive team, the Bears rank third nationally in team digs (1,259), fifth in team attacks (2,792) and 19th in both attacks per set (37.2) and digs per set (16.7). Teagan Polcovich sits 11th in Division I with 363 total digs on the year, while Breanah Rives is in the top-20 for attacks (749).

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS SALUKIS
Having split Murray State and Belmont at home last week, Southern Illinois looks to get back on track after winning four of its first MVC matches. The Salukis finished the 2022 season with an 18-13 record (11-7 MVC) for a fourth-place finish before falling to Evansville in the quarterfinal round of the MVC Tournament. A top-50 nationally ranked program with 905 team terminations, SIU is led by Imani Hartfield, host has posted a .387 hitting percentage through the first 16 matches of the season. With the Salukis averaging 1.64 aces per set, Ema Stermenska leads the conference with 32 aces, ranking in the top-25 in Division I.

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