UNI picks up two wins in spring tournament

BEN LAHART Sports Writer

The UNI volleyball team continued their spring action with the UNI Spring Tournament held in the Wellness-Recreation

Center on Saturday, April 15. The Panthers faced off against three other midwest schools, North Dakota State University, the University of Iowa and the University of Nebraska Omaha.

UNI started off the day with a matchup against the Bison from NDSU. After a commanding 25-11 win in the first set, the Panthers lost two straight by five a piece, 25-20 and 15-10. NDSU won the match 2-1. Later in the day, UNI met with the Iowa Hawkeyes for the second of three times this spring. The Panthers won the last matchup in late March, 2-1. UNI was able to continue this success this weekend even after losing the first set 25-22. The Panthers regrouped in order to comfortably win the next set, 25-17, and finish off with a close third set win, 15-12, to take the match, 2-1.

The final matchup for UNI featured the University of Nebraska Omaha. The Panthers made quick work of Omaha and took the win in a very close first set, winning 25-23. The success carried over into the just as close second set, as the Panthers won 26-24 to win the match 2-0.

The Panthers are coming off an excellent 27-8 season featuring a 17-1 conference record to win the regular season championship as well as the tournament championship. The

2022 season also featured an NCAA Tournament bid where the Panthers suffered a second round loss to the eighth-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers.

UNI will look to continue that success this fall as they welcome seven new women to the roster, four freshmen and three transfer players, including a 6-foot2-inch middle blocker out of Eagan High School in Minnesota, Kaitlynn Selner, and a 6-foot-1-inch outside hitter from conference rival Illinois State, Calia Clubb.

UNI will finish up their spring season with a tournament this Saturday, April 22 held in Iowa City. The Panthers will compete against the University of Iowa once again as well as Iowa State, Drake and Western Illinois University. The Panthers will have matches starting at 10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. in CarverHawkeye Arena.