Oct. 28, 2011

Box Score

SPRINGFIELD -

The Missouri State volleyball team won the first two sets against No. 12 Northern Iowa Friday at Hammons Student Center before the Panthers rallied and ultimately claimed their 52nd consecutive win against Missouri Valley Conference competition by set scores of 24-26, 22-25, 25-21, 25-11, 15-12.

The Bears (15-7, 8-3 MVC) matched the Panthers (23-1, 12-0) blow-for-blow in the first two sets, piling up 38 kills, 58 digs and a .243 hitting percentage to grab a 2-0 lead.

Karen Rivatto had seven of MSU's 20 kills in the first period and helped in the winning block as the Bears scored the final two points after UNI had used a 3-0 run to force a 24-all tie.

Missouri State scooped 33 digs in the second period and hit .275 with 18 more kills. Olivia Brand's kill made for an 18-11 advantage, and the Panthers closed the gap to one point at 21-20 when Calli Norman had kills for leads of 22-20 and 23-21 before UNI served the final point into the net.

The Panthers hit .324 as a team in the third set and took advantage of 10 Missouri State attack errors as the Bears got no closer than 13-11 after UNI took a 13-9 lead midway through. Then in the fourth, the visitors played a near-perfect offensive set, scoring 16 kills against one error in 21 attempts for a .714 team hitting percentage to hand MSU its worst set defeat of the season.

The Bears scored the first two points of the fifth set and gave up the lead for good when UNI's kill made it 5-4. The Panthers went ahead 10-6 and the Bears closed to 10-8, but the match ended with nine side outs to a 15-12 UNI win.

UNI setter Bre Payton had a triple-double with 15 kills, 47 assists and 10 digs, directing the Panther offense to a .267 hitting percentage. She also played a part in five of UNI's 22 blocks.

Brand led MSU with 18 kills on a .244 hitting percentage, while Rivatto had 16 and 10 digs for her 10th double-double of the year, and Amber Doolittle added a career-best 12 kills.

Missouri State hit .177 as a team and had a season-high 72 kills. Carly Thomas set a career high with 58 assists, adding 12 digs for her 15th double-double. Ashley Mason led five Bears in double figures with 22 digs, and Shelby Strang (18) and Tiffany Moe (11) each had career highs in that category as well.

The Bears host Bradley (9-13, 2-10) at 7 p.m. Saturday as MSU's busy Homecoming continues. The Braves lost 3-0 at Wichita State on Friday.