UNI Sweeps Drake in Pink Night at McLeod Center

The University of Northern Iowa volleyball team notched a 3-0 sweep over the visiting Drake Bulldogs on Pink Night (Oct. 25, 2014) in the McLeod Center. UNI won by set scores of 25-21, 25-13 and 25-23.

Drake held a 10-8 in the first set before a 4-0 run by the Panthers gave the home squad a 12-10 advantage. Drake knotted it back up at 14-14, but the Panthers would not trail the rest of the way. UNI took a 21-17 lead and was able to close out the first set, 25-21. UNI tallied four team blocks in the opening set. Kinsey Caldwell and Kayla Haneline each tallied four kills.

UNI jumped out to an 11-4 lead early in the second set and did not look back. UNI posted a 25-13 second-set victory. The Panthers hit .438 with 16 kills and only two attack errors in the second set, while Drake was limited to .139 hitting with 11 kills and six attack errors. UNI also added four more team blocks in the second stanza.

The Bulldogs and Panthers traded the first 16 points of the second set to an 8-8 tie. UNI then went on a 6-1 run to take a 14-9 lead and Drake used its first timeout of the set. The Bulldogs fought back and made it a one-point set at 16-15. Drake eventually tied the set at 21-21. UNI then scored three in a row and attempted to serve out the set at 24-22. But Drake refused to yield and cut it again to a one-point margin at 24-23. UNI closed out the set and the match on kill from Haneline.

UNI moves to 14-8 overall and 8-2 in the Missouri Valley Conference. Drake falls to 9-12 overall and 1-9 in league action.

UNI will be back in action next Friday and Saturday as the Panthers play host to the Missouri State Bears and the Wichita State Shockers in the McLeod Center. Both matches will get underway at 7 p.m. Former Panther Jill Arganbright will be inducted into the UNI Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday at 6 p.m. in the University Commons Ballroom.

NOTES: UNI has recorded 36 consecutive wins against Drake following tonight’s victory … Leigh Pudwill led the Panthers with 11 kills … Kinsey Caldwell hit for a team-best .438 with eight kills and one attack error on 16 attacks … Caldwell also posted a team-best 38 assists … Eryca Hingtgen scored a team-high 21 digs … Autumn Alitz recorded a team-high five blocks.