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Sept. 5, 2007

Final Stats |  Photo Gallery 

Cedar Falls, Iowa - A raucous crowd of 5,124 packed the McLeod Center to cheer on the University of Northern Iowa volleyball team, but Iowa State spoiled the party, posting a 3-0 win over the Panthers tonight in women's volleyball action. Game scores were 30-23, 32-30 and 30-26.

UNI was led by senior outside hitter Laura Rowen (Hansell, Iowa), who had her 29th career double-double with 10 kills and 13 digs. Junior middle blocker Ashten Stelken (Manchester, Iowa) had seven kills and a career-high 12 blocks for the Panthers. ISU was led by Lauren Cummings who recorded a match-high 17 kills. Iowa State recorded more kills (52-43) and digs (83-62), but the Panthers posted 16 total team blocks to eight for the Cyclones. UNI hit .117 for the match (43-25-162) while ISU hit .136 (52-30-162).

The Cyclones roared out to a 10-1 lead to open the first game, as UNI recorded six hitting errors in the first 11 points of the match. UNI was able to battle back, pulling within 14-10, but the Cyclones were able to stretch the lead back to 20-12. Trailing 23-17, the Panthers got a block from Kristin Belzung (Ankeny, Iowa) and Stelken, along with a service ace from freshman Ellie Blankenship (Cedar Rapids, Iowa), during a stretch that saw UNI get as close as 24-20. However, the Cyclones ended the first game on a 6-3 run to win, 30-23.

ISU scored the first four points of the second game, but UNI battled back to score four of the next five, including recording a pair of blocks. After Iowa State pulled back in front 10-6, a pair of Cyclone hitting errors and a service ace from Blankenship got UNI within 10-9. The Panthers stayed close until a 5-0 run by Iowa State extended its lead to 25-18. ISU held a 28-23 lead, before three blocks, a kill from Stelken, and an ISU hitting error pulled the Panthers even at 28-all. Tied at 30-30, a UNI service error followed by an Iowa State service ace sealed the 32-30 win for the Cyclones.

It was UNI who got off to a solid start in game three, as Rowen, Stelken and Danielle Brazda (Omaha, Neb.) each had kills to help the Panthers open a 6-2 lead. UNI held its advantage through the first half of the game, until Iowa State took a 15-14 lead. The teams stayed within one point of each other for the next stretch, until UNI scored three straight to open a 24-22 advantage, forcing Iowa State to take a timeout. ISU then scored four straight points to open a 26-24 lead, and after UNI pulled back within 27-26, the Cyclones scored the final three points to win, 30-26.

Iowa State improves to 3-4 with the win, while UNI dropped its third straight match to fall to 3-4. The Panthers head to the Varney's Invitational this weekend in Manhattan, Kan., with their first match Friday night against the host school, 22nd-ranked Kansas State.