Wichita State Athletics

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Wichita State volleyball fell in four sets to Northern Iowa, 16-25, 28-26, 22-25, 14-25, to conclude its non-conference schedule Saturday afternoon in the McLeod Center.
 
Four Shockers finished in double figures, led by Jenna Cubbage with 13 kills, Olivia Cohee and McKenzie Jones with 12 apiece and Maddie Wilson with 10. Gabi Maas recorded a season-high 18 digs, and freshman Addie Oeth led the team with 24 assists.
 
The Panthers jumped out to a 5-1 lead for the fourth time in two days against the Shockers in set one and quickly stretched their lead to seven. Wichita State recorded one more kill than UNI in the opening set, but UNI used seven service aces, four blocks and .323 hitting percentage to race to a 25-16 set one win. The Panthers led by as many as 10, and the Shockers fended off three set points before UNI shut the door with a Cassidy Hartman kill.
 
A thrilling set two saw 11 ties and five lead changes as neither team led by more than three at any point. The Shockers hit .245 in the set, recording 17 kills, including five from Cubbage. The Panthers led before Wichita State used a 6-0 run to take a 17-14 lead. UNI tied it up at 20-20 before setting up set point at 24-23. A Danielle Moore kill kept the Shockers alive. Cubbage then gave Wichita State the advantage at 26-25, but a Maryn Bixby kill for UNI prolonged the set. Back-to-back kills from Cubbage and Cohee secured the set two win for the Shockers and tied the match at 1-1.
 
UNI took a five-point lead at 14-9 in set three, and the Shockers pulled within one before the Panthers went on another late run to take a six-point advantage at 21-15. Wichita State kept battling to make it a two-point game, but Northern Iowa closed out the set, 25-22. The Shockers kept it close early in set four, but UNI used a 6-1 run to take 19-13 advantage and then scored the final six points of the set for a 25-14 decisive win to conclude the match.
 
Northern Iowa was led by Lily Dykstra with 19 kills, while Reese Booth dished a match-high 38 assists.
 
The Shockers fell to 3-9, while UNI improved to 6-5. Wichita State returns home to open conference play against Memphis on Friday, Sept. 25 in Charles Koch Arena.