University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
1-0,0-0MVC
Florida International
0-1,0-0CUSA
Panther volleyball sweeps Florida International in 2024 opener
8/30/2024 12:02:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
UNI cruises to straight set win with strong service line performance and attack at the net. Panthers battle No. 22 Dayton tonight.
DAYTON, Ohio --- Kira Fallert set a new program record for service aces in the rally scoring era as UNI's offense clicked on all cylinders in a three-set sweep of the Florida International Panthers on Friday morning to officially kick off the 2024 regular season.
Northern Iowa only trailed FIU for 11 total points during the entire match and held its opponents to a .000 hitting percentage with 20 attack errors forced, notching themselves a .303 hitting percentage with 41 total kills and eight service aces as a team. The purple and gold also saw the collegiate debuts of Kaitlyn Sellner and freshman Reese Booth, as well as the UNI debut of former Drake transfer Kacie Rewerts.
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HOW IT HAPPENED
UNI led from start to finish in the opening set, jumping out to a quick 9-3 lead thanks to four consecutive errors by FIU. Olivia Tjernagel and Sellner each tallied four terminations in the first frame as part of a 16-kill set for UNI and a .429 hitting percentage, with a pair of early aces for Fallert. UNI would hold Florida International to just .042 hitting in a 25-12 win.
In the second set, Fallert dished out another pair of aces with Erin Powers serving up a third as the Panther offense continued to roll in the second stanza. The Panthers put together an early 6-0 run to take a 7-1 lead, as well as an eight-point scoring run to open up a 15-4 advantage. Northern Iowa's quick lead helped create opportunities off the bench for Lily Dykstra and Grace Mikota as the Panthers rolled once again for a 25-11 second set win.
Back-to-back aces by Fallert gave UNI a 3-1 lead early in the third set, but FIU would test Northern Iowa in the early going. Florida International would build a two-point lead, but it would not last after Cassidy Hartman tied the frame up at 11-11 on a kill, while errors and continued pressure by the UNI offense put the purple and gold back in front for good, scoring seven of the next ten points, holding off FIU late for a 25-20 win for the match sweep.
Hartman led Northern Iowa with a match-high eight kills on 19 attempts, with Dykstra, Rewerts and Sellner each tallying seven terminations, while Tjernagel finished with six kills. Fallert's six service aces set a new career-best mark to compliment her four kills and seven digs, as Powers posted a match-high 14 digs on defense. Sydney Golden, making her first career start at setter, finished with a career-high 26 assists.
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ADDITIONAL NOTES
- UNI improves to 2-0 all-time against Florida International following Friday's match. The two programs previously met in 1998, a match UNI also won in straight sets in a season-opening tournament at Florida State.
- Friday's win marks Northern Iowa's first season opening victory since defeating North Dakota State in four sets to begin the 2021 fall season. UNI is now 17-8 in season openers under head coach Bobbi Petersen.
- Kira Fallert played in her 100th career match on Friday having not missed a contest in her collegiate career. She also surpassed 100 career service aces in the win.
- Erin Powers' lone service ace of the match was her 50th as a Panther.
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UP NEXT
UNI returns to the court this evening as it takes on No. 22 Dayton at 6 p.m. CT. Live coverage of the match can be found on ESPN+ and the Panther Sports Radio Network.
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.
