UNI Volleyball Sweeps Evansville, Stay Perfect in MVC [Video]

The University of Northern Iowa volleyball team tallied the program’s 999th victory on Friday with a 3-0 victory over the Evansville Purple Aces. UNI won by set scores of 25-19, 25-12, 25-11.

UNI remained perfect in Missouri Valley Conference play at 6-0. UNI improved to 11-6 overall with its nine win in its last 10 matches. Evansville fell to 8-10 overall and 2-4 in league play.

The Panthers used a strong start from sophomore Leigh Pudwill to take the first set, 25-19. Pudwill recorded seven first-set kills for the Panthers. UNI used a 6-1 run to open up a 14-8 lead. The Panthers extended its lead to seven at 18-11.

Evansville crept its way back into the set and got to within 20-17 before the Panthers called timeout. Senior Eryca Hingtgen went down the line for a kill out of the timeout and the Purple Aces would get no closer than points the rest of the set.

UNI used a decisive 13-2 run in the middle of the second set to score a 25-12 victory. The Panthers turned a 9-7 lead in a 22-9 advantage that swung the momentum to the home squad. UNI hit .345 in the second set with 14 kills and four errors, while the Panthers held the Purple Aces to a .000 hitting percentage as a result of eight kills to go against eight errors.

The Panthers closed out the sweep with a 25-11 triumph in the third set. Freshman Delaney Bolton connected on three consecutive service aces early in the game to set the tone. Bolton’s aces were a key part of an 11-1 Panthers run that eventually gave UNI a 17-5 lead. The Panthers never looked back and scored the three-set sweep, 25-11.

UNI will be back in action tomorrow night in the McLeod Center at 7 p.m. against the Southern Illinois Salukis.

NOTES: Leigh Pudwill tallied a match-high 13 kills for the Panthers … Eryca Hingtgen scored her team-high ninth double-double with 11 kills and 14 digs … setter Kinsey Caldwell notched 38 assists … UNI hit for a season-best .349 in the three-set sweep ... UNI redshirt freshman Heather Hook (Grundy Center, Iowa/Grundy Center HS) saw her first collegiate action in the win.