Salukis lose tight three-set bout at Northern Iowa

Saturday, November 10

Cedar Falls, IA

7 p.m.

Southern Illinois University

University of Northern Iowa

Team	1	2	3	Final F
Southern Illinois	16	19	24	0
Northern Iowa	25	25	26	3

11/10/2018 | 9:07:00 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

The Southern Illinois University volleyball team used a balanced attack to hang tight with the Northern Iowa Panthers, but UNI used an advantage in the block battle to post a 3-0 (16-25, 19-25, 24-26) victory in Missouri Valley Conference play at the McLeod Center Saturday night.

Inside the Match

• An ace by Laura Rojas gave SIU an early 2-1 lead. The lead went back and forth early before the Panthers scored four-straight to open up a 14-10 lead before the midway point. The Panthers scored eight of the next 12 points to build an eight-point cushion.
• UNI cruised from there and were aided by a .485 hitting percentage with 19 kills. The Panthers also limited the Salukis to just seven kills and a .125 hitting percentage.
• The Panthers never trailed in the second set. SIU got to within three, 14-11 but UNI scored seven of the next eight points to put the set out of reach. Southern did score six-straight on set point with Alayna Martin at the service line, but the Panthers got the side out kill they needed to take a 2-0 advantage.
• Rachel Maguire's fourth kill and her first ace of the match gave SIU an early 5-3 lead in the third set. UNI scored three of the next four to tie the frame at 6-all. The Saluki seniors, Malvis Ortiz and Patience Brown, combined for a double block to give SIU a 9-8 lead. Emma Baalman and Lindsey Paulsen combined for a block to grow SIU's advantage to two, 12-10.
• The Panthers answered with five-straight points to take an 15-12 lead into the halfway point. Rachel Maguire's sixth kill of the match cut SIU's deficit to three, 16-13 and started a run in which Southern scored three of the next four points to get to within one, 17-16.
• The two sides traded side out points before Maguire's seventh kill gave SIU a 22-21 lead. A timely double block by Ortiz and Lindsey Paulsen pushed SIU to set point, 24-23, but three consecutive points by the Panthers gave UNI a 3-0 win.

Inside the Numbers

• Patience Brown and Rachel Maguire tied for the team lead with seven kills each. Brown hit at a .250 clip while Maguire tallied 11 digs and added an ace.
• Emma Baalman put down four kills on 11 swings to post a team-best .273 hitting percentage.
• Laura Rojas recorded her first kill of the season with a rare overpass kill. She also added nine digs and an ace.
• Keera Clarke finished with a team-best 17 digs. It marked the 11th time this season, and the 9th time in her last 12 matches, that the Santa Monica, Calif. native has reached double-digits.
• Alayna Martin dished out 23 assists and added seven digs and an ace.

Up Next

The Salukis return to Davies Gym for the final homestand of the 2018 season. Southern hosts Loyola on Friday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. before taking on Valparaiso for senior night on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. The Salukis will celebrate their two seniors, Malvis Ortiz and Patience Brown, following Saturday's match.