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Oct. 14, 2006

Final Stats |  Photo Gallery

Cedar Falls, Iowa - Junior outside hitter Laura Rowen (Hansell, Iowa) had a match-high 12 kills to lead the University of Northern Iowa volleyball team to a 3-0 win over Illinois State Saturday night at the West Gym. Game scores were 30-25, 30-24 and 30-24. UNI has now won seven straight matches, with five of those wins being by 3-0 margins.

Freshman Shannon Aschoff (Ankeny, Iowa) had nine kills for UNI, while sophomore Ashten Stelken (Manchester, Iowa) added eight kills and five blocks. Junior setter Kristin Belzung (Ankeny, Iowa) had a double-double with 32 assists and 16 digs, and senior co-captain Stephanie May (Dubuque, Iowa) had a match-high 20 digs.

UNI never trailed in the first game, jumping out to a quick 7-2 lead, with Stelken having two kills during that early run. The Panthers maintained their lead throughout, with ISU getting within three points as late as 24-21. But Stelken had another put away, and also teamed up with Danielle Brazda (Omaha, Neb.) on a block to build UNI's lead back to 28-22. The Redbirds then scored three straight, but Rowen had back-to-back kills to give UNI the 30-25 win.

Illinois State opened an early 6-3 lead in game two, but UNI responded with six straight points on the serve of Brittany Bakker (Dike, Iowa) to pull ahead 12-6. ISU got no closer than four points the rest of the way, as the Panthers eventually claimed a 30-24 win. The Panthers held ISU to .039 hitting (10-8-51) in the second game.

The third game was a back-and-forth affair. Neither squad held more than a two point advantage until ISU scored four straight to go up 17-14. The Redbirds maintained that edge at 19-16, before UNI rattled off five straight points to lead 21-19. Aschoff had two kills during that run. Leading 23-22, UNI scored three straight points to give it a four point lead, and eventually won, 30-24.

UNI improves to 16-6 overall, 8-1 in the Missouri Valley Conference, while Illinois State falls to 9-10, 4-5. The Panthers remain at home next weekend, hosting Missouri State on Friday (Oct. 20) and Wichita State on Saturday (Oct. 21). Both matches begin at 7:00 p.m., and can be heard on KWLO 1330 AM.