|
Women's Volleyball
Panthers Claim UNI Invitational Title with Win over Clemson
Sept. 6, 2008
Cedar Falls, Iowa - UNI Invitational Most Valuable Player Amy Sampson had a match-high 18 kills to lead the University of Northern Iowa volleyball team to a thrilling 3-1 win over Clemson tonight in front of a rowdy 1,606 fans at the McLeod Center. Set scores were 25-23, 22-25, 25-22 and 25-18 in favor of UNI. The win gave the Panthers the tournament championship with a perfect 3-0 record over the two days.
Joining Sampson as UNI’s representatives on the all-tournament team were middle blocker Ashten Stelken (12 kills, five blocks) and libero Ellie Blankenship (25 digs). In addition, a pair of Panthers had double-doubles against Clemson, in outside hitter Shannon Aschoff (16 kills, career-high 17 digs) and setter Jessa Benson (47 assists, career-best 14 digs).
UNI held a 5-4 lead early in set one, before Clemson put together six straight points to go in front 10-5. After a UNI timeout, the Panthers scored four straight points, including two on kills from Stelken, to get within 10-9. Clemson maintained a slim lead until UNI went in front, 16-15, after a Tigers hitting error.
With the score tied at 19, UNI got kills from Aschoff and Sampson, along with a Clemson error, to move ahead 22-19. Clemson got within one as late as 24-23, but after a UNI timeout, Stelken put the ball away to give the Panthers the opening set win. Stelken and Sampson each had five kills for the Panthers in the first set, while Blankenship had seven digs.
Clemson held a 7-5 lead in set two, but quickly extended that advantage to 15-7, as the trio of Jeannette Abbott, Danielle Hepburn and Lia Proctor sparked the Tigers offense. Clemson was able to maintain at least a five-point margin much of the rest of the way, holding a 23-18 edge after an Abbott kill.
But then Sampson got going, and the power of her right arm nearly gave UNI the second set win – she had three thunderous kills during a 4-0 Panthers run that got them within 23-22. However, Clemson scored the final two points to win 25-22 and even the match at one set apiece.
With the score tied at 6-all in set three, UNI scored three straight to go in front 9-6. The Tigers rallied by scoring four of the next five points to pull even at 10. After each team scored, UNI rattled off five straight points, three on kills from Stelken.
The Panthers held a 21-15 advantage when Clemson pushed back, scoring three straight points and forcing UNI head coach Bobbi Petersen to call timeout, with the Panthers leading 21-18. Clemson got within 22-21, but UNI got a kill from Sampson and a service ace from Chelsea Saunders to move the score to 24-21. After a Tigers kill got them within two, Clemson hit the ball off the antenna to give UNI the 25-22 win in set three.
Neither team led by more than a point in set four, until Clemson scored four straight points to go up 12-8. After a UNI timeout, the Panthers responded with four straight point of their own, including a service ace from Benson, forcing Clemson to call timeout.
But Benson wasn’t done, recording three consecutive service aces to put UNI in front 15-12, and making the Tigers spend their second and final timeout. By the time Benson finished serving, UNI had reeled off nine straight points and moved in front 17-12. That was all the room the Panthers would need, as Clemson didn’t get closer than four points the rest of the way. Fittingly, it was Sampson that closed the match out with a kill to the middle of the court.
With the win, UNI improves to 6-0 on the season, while Clemson falls to 4-2. The Panthers are next in action on Sept. 10 when they travel to face intrastate rival Iowa State.
UNI Invitational All-Tournament Team Meagan Schoenrock, Northern Illinois
|
 |
|||||
|
||||||
