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University of Northern Iowa
19-6,13-0MVC
Bradley
9-17,2-11MVC
UNI volleyball caps undefeated October in sweep of Bradley
10/28/2023 7:11:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Panthers extend win streak to 14 straight matches with 3-0 win over Braves. UNI hosts Indiana State, Evansville next weekend.
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- UNI volleyball rolled in the opening set and held off challenges from Bradley in the second and third frames to pick up its 14th consecutive win on Saturday night in a three-set sweep over the Braves inside the McLeod Center.
Northern Iowa remains undefeated in Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) play at 13-0 and secures at least a top-four seed for the MVC Tournament next month in Springfield, Missouri. The victory also completes an undefeated, 9-0 month of October for the Panthers.
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HOW IT HAPPENED
UNI dominated the first set from the opening whistle, opening the match on a 4-0 run that included a service ace from Kira Fallert. The Panther offense capitalized on a .833 hitting percentage with 15 team kills, including three a piece from Fallert and Emily Holterhaus, making it difficult for Bradley to establish a foothold defensively. UNI notched three blocks at the net and posted a perfect nine-for-nine sideout rate in a lopsided 25-9 win.
Bradley proved to be a challenge in the second set, improving its blocking defense with three rejections at the net, but UNI would continue to pressure the Braves on offense with 16 team terminations on a .268 hitting clip. After Bradley pulled within one point at 16-15, the Panthers scored five straight points on kills by Kaylissa Arndorfer and Fallert, plus an ace by Layanna Green. Despite three UNI service aces, the purple and gold would hold on for a 25-21 set victory to take a 2-0 match lead.
The Braves once again jumped out to an early lead with the first three points falling in their column, but the Panthers would claw back into the frame by leaning into its backline defense to set up its offense of Bradley attacks. Trailing by as many as four points, UNI and Bradley battled back and forth before the Panthers tied the set at 15-15 before a Grace Mikota ace gave UNI its first lead. The purple and gold would close on a 10-4 run, overcoming seven attack errors and three Bradley blocks to notch 19 kills on a .197 hitting percentage to win the third stanza, 25-19.
Olivia Tjernagel led UNI's offense with a 12-kill night, while Fallert notched an 11-kill, ten-dig double-double in the winning effort. Holterhaus finished with ten terminations. Alden posted 37 assists with four kills, while Powers led the backline defense with a team-high 15 digs and tied a season-high with four aces.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
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The Panthers improve to 42-7 all-time against Bradley with their win on Saturday. Improving to 33-1 against the Braves all-time at home, UNI has not lost to Bradley at home since 1984.
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UNI has recorded ten three-set sweeps in league play this year. At 13-0 in MVC play, the Panthers other three conference wins this season have come in four sets (UIC, Drake, Murray State).
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The Panthers are 13-0 in MVC play for the tenth time in program history (1995, 1998-00, 2009-11, 2018, 2022). In each of the prior nine instances, UNI went on to win the MVC's regular season title, including eight outright championships.
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UNI remains undefeated in the first set against MVC opponents this year after a 25-9 opening frame win on Saturday. The Panthers have also clinched the first set in all 19 of their wins this year.
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Bradley's nine first-set points were the second-fewest allowed by the Panthers in a set this season. UNI gave up a season-low eight first-set points earlier this month in a win at Evansville.
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Libero Erin Powers picked up her 1,500th career dig on Saturday. Powers, who transferred to UNI after three seasons at UAB with 1,090 digs, has recorded 420 digs in her first season with the Panthers.
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Setter Tayler Alden surpassed 3,700 career assists against Bradley, becoming the eighth player in program history to reach that milestone.
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Olivia Tjernagel recorded her 500th career kill on Saturday, becoming the fourth active Panther with 500 career terminations (Fallert, Holterhaus, Arndorfer).
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Emily Holterhaus has recorded 10+ kills in ten straight matches, and has also done so in all but one conference match this season.
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Kira Fallert's 11-kill, ten-dig match against Bradley was her 15th career double-double performance and seventh of the season.
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UP NEXT
UNI returns home for the back half of a four-match homestand next week as the Panthers face off against the Indiana State Sycamores on Friday, Nov. 3, and the Evansville Purple Aces on Nov. 4 for Military Appreciation and Senior Night. Active duty military and veterans can receive free admission by presenting their military ID at the UNITIX office. Both matches are scheduled for first serve at 6 p.m., with live coverage for both available on ESPN+ and the Panther Sports Radio Network.
