CEDAR FALLS — Valparaiso had few answers for UNI’s attack Friday night as the Panthers swept the Beacons, stretched their winning streak to nine matches and added another milestone to their Missouri Valley Conference dominance.
UNI won 25-15, 25-15, 25-17 on October 16 at the McLeod Center, hitting .364 with 45 kills and just nine attack errors. The Panthers added seven service aces and seven blocks.
The victory was UNI’s 59th consecutive regular-season conference win, matching the second-longest streak in program history, set from 2009 through 2012. Including conference tournament play, the Panthers have beaten MVC opponents 67 straight times — two wins shy of the program and league record. Both current streaks are the longest active marks in Division I, according to UNI Athletics.
The sweep followed UNI’s four-set victory over Southern Illinois, which extended its overall conference winning streak to 66.
Panthers seize control early
UNI opened the first set with five unanswered points, getting early kills from Cassidy Hartman, Grace Hannam and Lily Dykstra. Hartman finished the set with five kills as the Panthers hit .343 and pulled away for a 25-15 win.
Valparaiso briefly moved ahead 5-4 in the second set before Dykstra delivered three consecutive kills to put UNI back in control. She finished the set with five kills, while Calia Clubb added four and Hartman contributed three.
The Beacons fought off three straight set points, but Hartman ended the rally with a kill to secure another 25-15 victory. UNI hit .382 in the set with 16 kills.
Clubb helped take the suspense out of the third set, opening UNI’s attack with three consecutive kills and finishing the frame with six. The Panthers hit .367 and closed out the sweep, 25-17.
Hartman leads balanced attack
Hartman finished with 13 kills and only one attack error, hitting .444 while adding seven digs and three blocks. Clubb matched her season high with 12 kills, and Dykstra supplied 11 kills, three aces and three blocks.
Hannam contributed five kills and three blocks, while Maryn Bixby added two blocks. Jadyn Petersen anchored the back row with a match-high 22 digs.
Setter Reese Booth finished with 31 assists and six digs. Her streak of 12 consecutive double-doubles ended, closing the longest such run in program history during the 25-point rally-scoring era, which began in 2008.
UNI has now recorded at least seven blocks in 16 of its 18 matches this season. The Panthers also improved to 10-2 this year when Hartman and Dykstra each reach double figures in kills.
The win was UNI’s eighth straight over Valparaiso and pushed its series lead to 22-4. Head coach Bobbi Petersen is now six victories away from 400 career MVC regular-season wins.
UIC visits Saturday
UNI will host UIC at 5 p.m. Saturday, October 17, at the McLeod Center. Fans are encouraged to wear black for the Panthers’ annual Black Out Match.
Coverage will be available on ESPN+ and the Panther Sports Radio Network through 106.5 Corn Country, 93.5 HD-2 and the Varsity app.