Panther volleyball visits Des Moines for midweek clash at Drake

UNI volleyball (9-5 / 2-0 MVC) at Drake (4-9 / 0-2 MVC)

Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025
6 p.m. CT
Des Moines, Iowa | Knapp Center (6,424)
WATCH (ESPN+)
LISTEN (Panther Sports Radio Network) [Chris Kleinhans-Schulz: Play-by-Play / Jay Grassley: Analyst)
LIVE RESULTS

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- The UNI volleyball team will conclude a nine-match road trip on Tuesday night as the Panthers face off with in-state rival Drake in Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) action.

First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT at the Knapp Center in Des Moines with live coverage available on both ESPN+, as well as the Panther Sports Radio Network (106.5 FM Corn Country / 93.5 HD-2) with Chris Kleinhans-Schulz and Jay Grassley on the call.

Northern Iowa renews its longest running rivalry in the 112th all-time matchup with the Bulldogs, leading the all-time series 93-16-2. UNI has won the last six meetings, which has included the MVC Tournament championship matches in 2022 and 2023. The Panthers are also commanding 49-4 against Drake under head coach Bobbi Petersen.

UNI travels to the state capital riding a season-long five-match winning streak following 3-1 wins at both UIC and Valparaiso last weekend to open league play. Cassidy Hartman led the way with 14 kills in the Panther victory over the Flames in Chicago, while Isabelle Elliott notched a career-best 14 terminations at Valparaiso, with Lindsay Oldendorf posting a career-high seven blocks. Setter Sydney Golden also saw her most extensive playing time of the season, dishing out four service aces against the Beacons.

The Panthers have won 38 consecutive matches against MVC opponents in the regular season (44 in a row including the MVC postseason), one win shy of tying the third-longest regular season conference winning streak in team history. Northern Iowa's last loss to an MVC opponent came in the 2022 regular season finale at Drake.

UNI ranks third in all of Division I volleyball with 39 attacks per set, as well as seventh in kills (14.3), 13th in assists(13.2) and 21st in digs per set (16.4). The Panthers also lead the MVC in kills and assists per set, while ranking second in the league in digs per frame.

Dykstra is second in the MVC in kills per set (3.7) and has recorded eight or more kills in all 14 matches this season, including 15 consecutive contests dating back to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2024. She has also posted ten or more kills seven times this season, while Hartman has notched nine matches with ten-plus kills in 2025

Reese Booth anchors Northern Iowa with 5.96 assists per set with freshman setter Kate Shafer notching five assists per frame, while Petersen leading the Panther defense with 4.32 digs per set. At the net, redshirt freshman Maryn Bixby has posted a team-high 32 blocks on the year, as Oldendorf has recorded 42 total blocks.

SCOUTING DRAKE
The Bulldogs return to the Knapp Center amid a three-match skid and a 4-9 start to a season where they tied for third with Illinois State in the MVC preseason poll. Drake lost in four sets at Valparaiso last Friday and came up short in a 3-2 loss at UIC on Saturday.

Led by 13th year head coach Darrin McBroom, who picked up his 200th career victory in the Bulldogs' last win earlier this month against Villanova, Drake returns a pair of key MVC standouts including 2024 Co-MVC Player of the Year Macy Daufeldt, who shared the honor with UNI's Kira Fallert last season.

Daufeldt leads the Bulldogs with 3.15 kills per set, while Bliss Beck anchors a stellar blocking defense for Drake with 1.08 blocks per frame.

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.

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