University of Northern Iowa
Indiana State
Panther volleyball to host Sycamores, Purple Aces to open final month of regular season
11/1/2023 11:33:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
UNI to celebrate Military Appreciation Night and senior class at Saturday’s match. Ticket now available for purchase.
UNI volleyball (19-6 / 13-0 MVC) vs. Indiana State (3-20 / 1-12 MVC)
- 6 p.m. CT | Nov. 3, 2023
- Cedar Falls, Iowa | McLeod Center (6,650)
- ESPN+
- Panther Sports Radio Network (Chris Kleinhans-Schulz: Play-by-Play)
UNI volleyball (19-6 / 13-0 MVC) vs. Evansville (8-17 / 3-10 MVC)
- 6 p.m. CT | Nov. 3, 2023
- Cedar Falls, Iowa | McLeod Center (6,650)
- ESPN+
- Panther Sports Radio Network (Chris Kleinhans-Schulz: Play-by-Play)
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CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- With five matches to play in the 2023 regular season, UNI volleyball will wrap up its longest homestand of the season on Friday and Saturday night as the first-place Panthers face off against the Indiana State Sycamores and Evansville Purple Aces.
Riding the fifth-longest active winning streak in Division I, UNI will put its unbeaten conference record on the line with a 6 p.m. CT first serve against the Sycamores on Friday. Saturday's match against Evansville will also begin at 6 p.m. CT on Military Appreciation Night. All veterans and active duty military personnel can receive free admission by showing their military ID at the UNITIX office.
The Panthers will also celebrate their four seniors following Saturday's match, recognizing setter Tayler Alden, opposite Kaylissa Arndorfer and outside hitters Emily Holterhaus and Megan Witte.
Northern Iowa has won 30 of its last 31 Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) matches dating back to last season, and 15 consecutive league wins at home. The Panthers, based on their current position in the conference standings, are guaranteed at least a top-three seed in the MVC Tournament later this month in Springfield, Missouri, with their magic number to clinch a second straight regular season MVC crown at four.
UNI has started 13-0 in MVC play ten times in its 49-year history (1995, 1998-00, 2009-11, 2018, 2022). In each of the prior nine instances, the Panthers went on to win the MVC's regular season title, including eight outright championships.Â
The Panthers took care of business in their last outing a week ago at home, rolling past both Illinois State and BradleyÂ
Holterhaus continues to lead a UNI offense that entered the week leading the nation with 14.7 kills per set, with Holterhaus leading the Panthers with a team-high 313 kills (3.77 per set), ranking sixth in the MVC. Kira Fallert sits just behind Holterhaus with 274 terminations (3.26). Alden, who recorded her 100th career service ace last weekend, leads with 10.2 assists per frame, a top-50 ranking in Division I, anchoring a UNI setting game that ranks second nationally with 13.7 assists per set. She also leads all active Panthers with 38 career double-doubles and six triple-doubles.Â
On the backline, Erin Powers, who notched her 1,500th career dig a week ago, leads UNI with 420 total digs (5.00 per set). Northern Iowa's net defense continues to improve with Olivia Tjernagel leading the charge with 1.11 blocks per set, third-most in the MVC.
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INDIANA STATE SYCAMORES
UNI rolled past Indiana State in its first meeting with the Sycamores back on Oct. 7 in Terre Haute in just 71 minutes. Despite ranking in the top-15 nationally with 37.5 attack per set, the Sycamores have struggled greatly this season, dropping 18 of their last 19 matches, including their last four. Indiana State last weekend dropped a pair of home matches to Southern Illinois and Missouri State, both in four sets. With a roster that includes six freshmen, Indiana State has leaned heavily on offense into Kira Holland, who ranks sixth in the MVC with 3.52 kills per set. Holland has been named the MVC's Freshman of the Week in each of the five previous weeks. Ella Scott leads the Sycamores with 25 total service aces and 56 blocks, while Macy Lengacher has recorded a team-high 3.24 digs per set.
EVANSVILLE PURPLE ACES
The Panthers will go for their fifth straight win against Evansville on Saturday, looking to build on its 26-1 all-time home record against the Purple Aces. Evansville, who will play at Drake on Friday night, looks to snap out of a season-long six-match skid, coming of 3-1 losses at home to both Missouri State and Evansville last week. UNI swept the Purple Aces in their Oct. 6 meeting in southern Indiana, with Holterhaus recording a season-best .704 hitting percentage and UNI holding its opponent to just 22 digs on the night. Offensively, Evansville is led by Giulia Cardona, the league's leader in kills, aces, attacks and points. Cardona, a 2022 First Team All-MVC selection, recently tied Bobbi Petersen's 1989 MVC record of 40 kills in a single match in a marathon five-set win over UIC last month.
