University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
6-5,0-0MVC
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Western Michigan
2-10,0-0MAC
UNI volleyball sweeps Western Michigan in Green Bay
9/19/2025 4:59:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Panthers secure at least a share of the Capital Credit Union Classic title. UNI wraps up non-conference play on Saturday against host Green Bay.
GREEN BAY, Wisc. — Isabelle Elliott and Molly Shafer both posted career days for the UNI volleyball team on Friday afternoon as the Panthers scored their second straight three-set sweep with a 3-0 victory over the Western Michigan Broncos as part of the 2025 Capital Credit Union Classic at the Kress Center.
Outside hitters Cassidy Hartman and Lily Dykstra both also notched double-digit kill totals as Northern Iowa locked up at least a share of the tournament title, knocking off the two-time defending Mid-American Conference (MAC) Tournament champions. As a team, the Panthers posted a .162 hitting percentage with 45 terminations and four service aces.
HOW IT HAPPENED
UNI and Western Michigan opened Friday's match in a tight back-and-forth, splitting the first 20 points of the first set. After the Broncos tied the match up at 13-13, the Panthers would take control and lead the rest of the way with Dykstra racking up six kills and Elliott posting five terminations. With 16 team kills on .143 hitting, UNI held on despite a late WMU push for a 25-21 set victory.
Western Michigan jumped out to a 3-0 lead on Northern Iowa in the second stanza before UNI responded with a 4-0 run of its own. In another hotly contested set, the Panthers built a comfortable lead after taking a 17-14 lead on the Broncos with Hartman and Dykstra each dishing out an ace. UNI hit .222 with 15 team terminations as Molly Shafer and Maryn Bixby combined for a block on set point, giving the Panthers a 2-0 match lead with a 25-18 set win.
UNI faced another back-and-forth test from the Broncos as both teams split the first 12 points. With both Bixby and Kate Shafer each dishing out an ace, the Panthers pulled away with a 4-0 run to take a 17-14 lead on WMU, with 14 team kills on .140 hitting. Holding the Broncos to just four more points after the 12-12 tie, the Panthers surged across the finish line with a 13-4 run as Dykstra and Hartman both surpassed double-digit kills figures for the day in a 25-16 win to complete the 3-0 sweep.
Dykstra finished the afternoon with a match-high 11 kills with Hartman posting ten terminations and eight digs. Elliott and Molly Shafer both notched new career-highs with nine and eight kills respectively, while Lindsay Oldendorf posted four kills and Bixby three terminations. Both Reese Booth and Kate Shafer also notched their second double-doubles of the season in the win with Booth tallying a career-best 14 digs and 16 assists, as Shafer posted 17 assists and 11 digs. Jadyn Petersen meanwhile led UNI with 22 digs.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- UNI improves to 6-1 all-time against Western Michigan with Friday's win. The Panthers' lone loss to the Broncos came in their last meeting in Kalamazoo in 2023.
- One day after posting 25 kills for Western Michigan in a five-set win over Green Bay, the Northern Iowa offense held graduate middle blocker Molly Brown to zero kills in Friday's match.
- Lily Dykstra has now recorded eight or more kills in all 11 matches this season, including her last 12 outings dating back to the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Friday was her sixth match this season with ten or more kills.
- Cassidy Hartman posted her 14th career matches with ten or more kills, including her seventh of the season on Friday.
- Reese Booth recorded her second double-double of the 2025 campaign, including the fourth of her career. Kate Shafer's double-double against the Broncos was her second of the season.
UP NEXT
The Panthers will close out the non-conference portion of the 2025 schedule on Saturday afternoon against Green Bay. First serve is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT at the Kress Center with live coverage available on ESPN+ and the Panther Sports Radio Network (106.5 FM Corn Country / 93.5 HD-2).
UNI volleyball action can be followed all season long on social media on Facebook (UNI Volleyball), X (@UNIVolleyball) and on Instagram (@univolleyball). The full 2025 schedule and roster, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.
