UNI UNI 20-9 (14-1 MVC)

Bradley BRAD 13-12 (9-5 MVC)

UNI UNI

20-9 (14-1 MVC)

Final

Nov. 09, 2019

Bradley BRAD

13-12 (9-5 MVC)

Set Scores
Team	1	2	3	4	5	F
UNI UNI	16	27	26	25	15	(3)
Bradley BRAD	25	25	28	20	11	(2)

Box Score

Duane Zehr

Volleyball Falls In Five To UNI

Box Score

Game Recap: Volleyball | 11/9/2019 8:55:00 PM

PEORIA, Ill. – Sophomore Rachel Pranger had a team-high 17 kills and 15 digs for her 11^th double-double of the year, while Hannah Thompson notched 14 kills and 25 digs for her 20^th double-double of the season, but league-leading Northern Iowa rallied for a 16-25, 27-25, 26-28, 25-20, 15-11 victory over the Braves Saturday at Renaissance Coliseum.

Pranger was one of three Bradley (13-12 overall, 9-5 MVC) players in double figures in kills in the match as the Braves tried to snap a seven-match Northern Iowa win streak. The Panthers (20-9 overall, 14-1 MVC) rallied for the five-set win, however, to lock up one of the top spots in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament which will be held later this month in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Junior Emma Raleigh collected a match-high 30 digs to help lead Bradley defensive efforts as the Braves held UNI to its lowest hitting percentage in a match (.180) since a five-set loss to Illinois State back on Oct. 12. Junior Sara Maddox joined Pranger and Thompson in double figures with 11 kills in the setback.

In the opening set, Bradley broke a 6-6 tie with a 4-0 spurt and never trailed the remainder of the frame. Pranger had four kills and six digs in the first set, helping power Bradley to a convincing 25-16 victory. UNI hit just .073 against the Braves in the opener.

Northern Iowa would answer with a 27-25 win in the second to even the match. With Bradley trailing 20-16, Thompson helped key a 6-0 BU spurt with a pair kills and ace to give the Braves a 22-20 edge. UNI held set point at 24-23, only to have Pranger tie things up at 24-24 with a kill. A Northern Iowa error gave Bradley set point at 25-24, before Inga Rotto knotted the score at 25-25 with one of her five second-set kills. UNI's Karlie Taylor broke the tie with a kill and she had a block to seal a 27-25 UNI victory. Thompson had six kills and four digs in the second.

Bradley was able to use a late push to take the third set 28-26. The Braves led for most of the frame and held set point at 24-22 following a Maddox kill. Northern Iowa answered with three consecutive points, however, to hold set point at 25-24. Maddox, who had two kills in the third, tied things up at 25-25 with a kill; only to have UNI's Katie Busswitz give the Panthers set point again at 26-25 with a kill of her own. The score was tied for the eighth time in the set at 26-26 after a kill by Bradley freshman Raeann Bergman. Thompson's second ace of the night gave Bradley a 27-26 advantage and Lida Kastanou capped a 28-26 BU victory with a kill.

Northern Iowa's offense was held in check most of the first three sets with the Panthers hitting just .145 through the first three stanzas. UNI came alive offensively over the final two frames, however, hitting a combined .247. A 7-0 run to open the fourth set was part of 10-1 UNI spurt which put the Panthers in control. Bradley managed to trim the UNI lead to as few as three points several times down the stretch with the last coming at 22-19 before Northern Iowa was able to take the set 25-20 and force a deciding fifth set. Rotto had six kills on eight swings to lead the Panthers in the fourth.

The Braves appeared to be in control early in the fifth set, jumping out to a 5-1 lead to force a Northern Iowa timeout. Senior Hannah Angeli, who had three aces to go with 28 assists and 13 digs, opened the set with an ace. Maddox added a block and kill during the opening Bradley spurt. Bradley held a 10-9 edge after a Kastanou kill, before UNI rattled off three consecutive points. Rotto sandwiched kills around a Kaylissa Arndorfer kill to give the Panthers a 12-10 lead. Bergman stopped the UNI run with a kill to pull Bradley within one at 12-11, only to have Arndorfer answer with another kill. UNI's Abbi Staack followed a Bradley error with an ace as the Panthers took the set 15-11 to escape with the road victory.

Rotto led Northern Iowa with a match-high 19 kills to pace four UNI players in double figures in kills.

With just two weeks remaining in the regular-season, Bradley opens the final road swing of the season Friday with a match at second-place Loyola

Print Friendly Version