CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Missouri State's three-match win streak came to an end Saturday evening with a 25-17, 25-19, 25-21 loss to first-place UNI in the McLeod Center.

The Bears played the Panthers tough for significant stretches each set, but key runs by the home team helped UNI hit .274 in the contest compared to .110 for Missouri State (8-19, 5-8 Missouri Valley Conference).

The first set was tied 10 times to 11-11 when the teams traded big runs, each with a 4-0 spurt before the Panthers (18-9, 12-1) scored seven in a row to lead 22-15.

UNI took the second set lead for good with a 3-0 run to 11-8, and the margin stayed from 2-4 points until the Panthers made it 21-15 and carried the six-point lead to the finish.

Missouri State led 6-4 early in the third and the Panthers turned the tables to open a 17-10 margin. The Bears mounted a furious rally, first with a 4-0 run that included freshmen Brooklyn Cink and Azyah Green teaming up for two blocks for a 17-14 deficit, then using another Green block and a UNI error to close to 19-18. An MSU service error followed, and the Panthers held on for the sweep despite the Bears recording six of their eight blocks in the final period.

Cink, Laynie Dake and Chloe Rear led MSU with seven kills each, Gerri Idos had 13 digs, and Green tallied five blocks to make her the first Missouri State player with 100 blocks in a season since 2016 and first freshman since 2008.

The Bears return home next week to take on Loyola at 6 p.m. Friday and Valparaiso at 5 p.m. Saturday.