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Sept. 18, 2004

Cedar Falls, Iowa - Junior outside hitter Rachael Tink (Waterloo, Iowa) had a team-high 13 kills and added five service aces, to lead the University of Northern Iowa volleyball team to a 3-0 win over Northern Illinois this afternoon at the Panther Invitational. Game scores were 30-24, 30-28, and 30-20.

Tink had seven kills in the third game alone, including back-to-back put-aways that gave UNI the lead for good, 20-18. Tink also had a pair of service aces during a decisive 9-1 run that took the score from 18-all to 27-18 in favor of the Panthers in the final contest, sealing the match victory.

Shari Vermeer (Sioux Center, Iowa) and Trista Humpal (New Hampton, Iowa) added 10 kills each for UNI, with Humpal hitting .526 (10-1-16) for the match. Senior setter Erin Hirsch had 34 assists and a team-high 11 digs.

UNI never trailed in the opening game, and had as much as a seven-point advantage at one point (20-13). But behind the hitting of Tera Lobdell, who had a match-high 21 kills, the Huskies battled back to pull within one, 22-21. However, the Panthers ended the first game on an 8-3 run to win the opener, with a Vermeer service ace clinching the first game.

Northern Illinois battled from behind in game two, before UNI found clutch plays from Tink and Humpal to win the game, 30-28. The Panthers held a 22-15 lead before a Huskies' timeout. NIU then proceeded to rally and take the lead, 27-25, before the Panthers responded with a timeout of their own. Tink then blasted a kill down the line and had two straight service aces to give UNI the lead for good, 28-27, and Humpal eventually sealed the second game with a cross court kill.

UNI had 11 service aces in the match to just four for Northern Illinois. The Panthers, who improved to 5-4 on the season with the win, while the Huskies fell to 3-7 with the loss. It was also UNI's 72nd straight home victory.

Later today in the Panther Invitational, Northern Illinois faces Bradley (4-5) at 5:00 p.m., while UNI will play again tonight against South Florida (2-5) at 7:30 p.m. to wrap up the two-day tournament. Earlier today, Bradley defeated South Florida, 3-1 (30-25, 24-30, 30-27, 30-25).