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University of Northern Iowa
14-6,8-0MVC
Southern Illinois
12-8,4-5MVC
UNI volleyball: Net defense and service aces propel Panthers to ninth straight win
10/14/2023 7:09:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Panthers extend win streak in sweep of Salukis. UNI takes on in-state rival Drake on Monday night in Des Moines.
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- UNI volleyball dished out six service aces for a second consecutive night and tallied 18 blocks assists on Saturday as the Panthers completed their seventh sweep against Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) opposition in a 3-0 win over the Southern Illinois Salukis.
The Panthers, who have now won nine consecutive matches, improve to 8-0 in league play for a second straight season following a dominant performance at the net and service line. UNI, who has now won 25 of its last 26 conference matches dating back to 2022, has now won 14 straight matches against SIU.
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HOW IT HAPPENED
UNI trailed for all but five points in the opening set, scoring seven straight points after an early 3-3 deadlock with the Salukis. Establishing a dominant presence at the net, the Panthers rejected three SIU attacks with no blocking errors, while also setting up Emily Holterhaus, Kira Fallert and Layanna Green on the attack. Racking up 17 total kills on a .484 hitting percentage, along with aces from Fallert and Green, UNI cruised to a 25-14 set victory, its eighth opening set win in conference play and 13th of the season.
The Panthers kicked off the second stanza with three straight points, setting up a dominant frame defined by big runs and key blocks. Southern Illinois would tie the set up at 8-8 before UNI ignited a 17-6 run down the stretch, forcing nine Saluki attack errors while also recording 12 team terminations. The Panther defense also tallied five blocks in the set, scoring nine of the final 13 points to earn a 25-14 win and take a 2-0 lead.
Northern Iowa quickly separated itself from SIU after splitting the first eight points of the third frame on a Holterhaus kill and ace by Tayler Alden. Despite a resilient effort from the opposition, the Panthers continued to hammer down offensively, notching 14 terminations on a .265 hitting percentage. Erin Powers dished out her second ace of the night late in the set, while Kara Oxenknecht made her MVC debut during the final points of the night as UNI defeated SIU 25-16 to complete the three-set sweep.
Holterhaus finished an impressive offensive weekend with a 16-kill performance on 35 attempts, while also matching a season-high with four block assists. Fallert recorded 11 terminations with eight digs in the win, as Green tallied six kills while tying her season-high with six block assists. Alden dished out 29 assists and a season-best two aces, with Powers finishing with 11 digs. Grace Mikota tied Powers for the match-high with 11 digs, as Tjernagel recorded four blocks.
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ADDITIONAL NOTES
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UNI improves to 66-13 all-time against Southern Illinois and 33-3 at home against the Salukis. The Panthers 14-match winning streak against SIU is its longest against active MVC opponents.
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The Panthers' nine match winning streak is the longest active streak in the MVC.Â
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UNI is 14-6 in the first set after Saturday's victory. The Panthers are also unbeaten in MVC play when clinching the first set. Northern Iowa is 12-3 this year in three-set contests.
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The Panthers have recorded a team hitting percentage above .300 in four consecutive matches, including six of their first eight MVC contests.
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Kaylissa Arndorfer reached a key career milestone against the Salukis, playing in her 400th career set on Saturday.
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Erin Powers notched her tenth career kill and first as a Panther on Saturday.
UP NEXT
The Panthers will have a quick turnaround as they head to Des Moines to face off against in-state rival Drake on Monday. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT at the Knapp Center with live coverage available on ESPN+ and the Panther Sports Radio Network.
