By: Wichita State
Box Score WICHITA, Kan. – Wichita State fell to Northern Iowa, 3-1, on Friday night at Charles Koch Arena in the annual Dig Pink game in front of a season-high 3,609 fans in attendance. UNI clinched the match by scores of 25-21, 19-25, 25-19 and 25-13.
As part of the Dig Pink game, the Shockers auctioned off their pink game jerseys to support Breast Cancer Research and Awareness. The auction raised more than $3,300 with all proceeds going to the Side-Out Foundation.
With the loss, Wichita State drops to 9-6 overall this season and 3-2 in the Missouri Valley Conference, while Northern Iowa moves into a tie for first place in the league at 9-6 overall and 4-0 in the MVC.
Mikaela Raudsepp led the Shocker attackers with 15 kills, just three shy of her career high, while Katie Reilly finished with 11 kills and a hitting percentage of .455. Emily Hiebert tallied 42 assists and Dani Mostrom recorded 14 digs.
As a team, WSU registered 53 kills, while hitting .192. UNI finished with 55 kills and an attack percentage of .285. The Panthers had 11 blocks as a team compared to 6.5 for the Shocks.
Wichita State jumped out to an early 8-4 lead to open the first set, forcing a Northern Iowa timeout. UNI would score five straight points to take its first lead of the set, 14-13. From there the two teams would trade points until the Panthers stretched the lead to 22-16. The Shockers used a 3-0 run to cut the deficit in half, but that would be the closest they would get as UNI won the set, 25-21. Raudsepp led WSU with six kills in the set, while Hiebert had 10 assists.
UNI used the momentum from set one to get out to a 9-5 lead in the second set. A 7-2 run would give the Shockers their first lead of the set at 12-11. Down the stretch WSU and UNI went back and forth before the Shockers clinched the set on a 5-1 run, 25-19. Raudsepp again tallied six kills, while Abbie Lehman had five.
Neither team led by more than a point for more than half of the third set, as WSU held a 15-14 lead. After the Panthers took their largest of the set to that point, 19-17, WSU took a timeout to regroup for the final few points. Out of the timeout, WSU immediately scored, but the Panthers answered back with three straight to take a 22-18 lead. Northern Iowa then scored the final three points to take the third set, 25-19.
The Panthers started set four on a 7-3 run and would stretch that to a 13-7 advantage. UNI used another big run to lead, 18-9, before clinching the set and match, 25-13.
WSU finishes the homestand tomorrow night vs. Drake at 7 p.m. in Charles Koch Arena. The first 2,500 fans in attendance on Saturday will receive a free taco coupon from Taco Bell, as part of National Taco Day. Saturday's game is also Wichita Eagle Family Night. A full list of tomorrow and this season's volleyball promotions click here.
For more news follow the Shocker Volleyball team on Twitter at @GoShockersVB and goshockers.com. To get all your Shocker merchandise visit the official Wichita State team store.
- Wichita State -