Panther volleyball opens three-match homestand on Friday night

UNI volleyball (9-7 / 2-0 MVC) vs. Belmont (7-10 / 2-3 MVC)

6 p.m. CT | Oct. 11, 2024
McLeod Center (6,650)
Cedar Falls, Iowa
ESPN+
Panther Sports Radio Network (Chris Kleinhans-Schulz: Play-by-Play)
LIVE STATS

UNI volleyball (9-7 / 2-0 MVC) vs. Murray State (9-5 / 4-1 MVC)

5 p.m. CT | Oct. 12, 2024
McLeod Center (6,650)
Cedar Falls, Iowa
ESPN+
Panther Sports Radio Network (Chris Kleinhans-Schulz: Play-by-Play)
LIVE STATS

UNI volleyball (9-7 / 2-0 MVC) vs. Drake (8-7 / 4-0 MVC)

6 p.m. CT | Oct. 14, 2024
McLeod Center (6,650)
Cedar Falls, Iowa
ESPN+
Panther Sports Radio Network (Chris Kleinhans-Schulz: Play-by-Play)
LIVE STATS

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- The UNI volleyball team is set to open a three-match homestand beginning Friday night with a trio of Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) challengers set to battle the Panthers inside the McLeod Center. Northern Iowa will host Belmont on Friday at 6 p.m. CT, Murray State on Saturday at 5 p.m. CT and in-state rival Drake on Monday at 6 p.m. CT.

Live coverage of all three matches can be found on ESPN+ and the Panther Sports Radio Network. Tickets are available for purchase through the UNI Ticket Office by visiting unipanthers.com or by calling 319-273-4849.

The Panthers will celebrate Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night on Friday against the Bruins, and wear pink jerseys on Saturday against the Bruins in their annual Pink Out match. Fans are encouraged to wear pink with jerseys being auctioned off following the match.

UNI students will also have the chance to win a $1,000 scholarship with a student drawing during Monday's match against Drake during a White Out themed contest. Click HERE to see eligibility rules for the scholarship drawing.

Northern Iowa, the winner of 22 consecutive MVC regular season matches dating back to last season's undefeated record, look to stay unbeaten all-time against Belmont (2-0) and Murray State (3-0) and grab a fifth straight win against Drake (91-16-2) in the longest running series in program history. UNI has also won 24 straight matches overall against MVC challengers in both regular season and postseason play.

The Panthers, the preseason favorite to repeat as MVC champions once again, extended their winning streak this past weekend with a thrilling reverse sweep victory at Valparaiso and a dominating 3-0 win at UIC. During the road trip, Cassidy Hartman, Reese Booth and Sydney Golden all notched double-double performances against the Beacons, while Kacie Rewerts recorded her 600th career block against the Flames. For her breakout weekend, Rewerts was named MVC Defensive Player of the Week for the fourth time in her career and first time as a Panther.

Fallert leads the UNI offense with 209 total kills through 16 matches, with Hartman close behind with 202 terminations. Erin Powers's 16 service aces leads the way for the Panthers while her 263 total digs this year are eighth-most in the MVC this year. Setters Golden and Booth have split time on the court with the veteran Golden averaging 6.2 assists per set, with Booth notching 4.6 assists per frame, while Rewerts leads the MVC with 1.2 blocks per set. Rewerts, who is fifth in MVC history with 531 career block assists, is the NCAA's active career leader in total blocks (603) across all divisions and is fourth in Division I with 1.33 blocks per set in her career.

SCOUTING BELMONT
The Bruins make the trip up to Cedar Falls from the Music City following a three-set home sweep of Evansville and 3-1 win at the Curb Event Center against Indiana State last weekend, as well as a five set loss at Murray State on Tuesday.

Belmont has won two of its first five MVC contests, which include a pair of five-set losses at Bradley and Illinois State. The Bruins were picked to finish tenth in this year's conference preseason poll.

Belmont ranks in the top-50 nationally in team attacks per set (36.7) and are 29th in both total attacks (2,349) and 35th in team digs (981). Lilly Lutz leads the Bruin defense with 4.7 digs per set, fourth-most in the MVC and 29th in Division I. Brooke Gilleland also anchors Belmont's offense with a team-high 3.3 kills per frame

SCOUTING MURRAY STATE
The Racers venture to the McLeod Center this Saturday after a 3-0 sweep at Indiana State and a reverse sweep victory at Evansville on Saturday. Murray State also defeated Belmont at home on Tuesday by a 3-2 score and will visit Drake on Friday night.

Murray State tied for sixth in this year's MVC preseason poll with Valparaiso. Outside hitter Darci Metzger was named to the league preseason all-conference team.

The Racers boast the MVC's third-highest team hitting percent- age at .219, while also posting the league's third-lowest opponent hitting percentage (.191). MSU also is fourth in the league with 13 kills per set. Bailey DeMier leads the MVC with 9.6 assists per set, with Ella Vogel second in the conference and 23rd in the nation with 4.1 kills per set.

SCOUTING DRAKE
The Panthers will spar with their instate rival in a battle of the league's unbeaten on Monday night in Cedar Falls, their first matchup since last season's five-set classic in the MVC Tournament championship in Springfield, Missouri.

Drake is coming off a pair of 3-1 road wins at UIC and Valparaiso last weekend. The Bulldogs will host Murray State on Friday and Belmont on Saturday in Des Moines.

The Bulldogs were tabbed to finish third in this year's MVC preseason poll behind UNI and UIC. Defensive specialist/libero Jada Wills was the lone Drake player named Preseason All-MVC.

Monday's match will be a home- coming for former Panther hitter Megan Witte (2020-23), who is now a Bulldog as a graduate student. Witte ranks third on the Drake roster with 170 kills this season and was part of UNI's last two MVC regular season and tournament championship teams and two NCAA berths.

Rewerts will also face her former team on Monday after playing for Drake from (2020-23). Rewerts is the Bulldogs' all-time leader in block assists and helped Drake to two MVC Tournament championship matches against UNI, as well as two NIVC appearances.

The Bulldogs rank third in the nation with 39 attack attempts per set and eighth in digs per set (17.5). Wills anchors Drake's stellar defense as the national leader in digs per set (6.4) while Macy Daufeldt is tenth in the country in attacks per set (12) and 48th in kills per frame (4).

UNI volleyball action can be followed all season long on social media on Facebook (UNI Volleyball), X (@UNIVolleyball) and on Instagram (@univolleyball). The full 2024 schedule and roster, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.

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