The UNI Panther Volleyball team has been putting together a strong season with a total record of 12-4. They put together another three-game win streak, by beating rivals Iowa State at home, University of Nebraska-Omaha and then capped it off with a Big Ten upset win against the No. 10 ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers at the Omaha Challenge, a volleyball tournament in the Baxter Arena.

This was the first time in program history that the Panthers have beaten Nebraska. UNI then faced Kansas State University for the final game of the Omaha Challenge. The Panthers were undefeated in the Omaha Challenge until K-State prevailed in a lengthy five-setter.

After all the state challenges and out of conference play, the Panthers were set to take on the Valparaiso Crusaders in the Missouri Valley Conference opener. The No. 22-ranked Panthers got the best of the Crusaders in a 3-1 victory.

This was Valparaiso’s first match in the Missouri Valley after joining the conference this summer. The Panthers were just three digs away from setting a school record in a single match with a total of 104.  UNI posted 37 digs in the first set, which was a season best so far; this is also the second time this season that UNI has more than 100 digs in a match.

Junior Piper Thomas reached a new career high with 23 kills and a hitting percentage of .373, matching her 23 kills at the University of Southern California (USC). Junior Bri Weber recorded her 41st career double-double with 11 kills and 18 digs. Sophomore Karlie Taylor has been consistent with kills as she had two kills against the Crusaders, which makes that her eighth straight match with 12 or more kills. The UNI Volleyball team is 11-1 when they win the opening set.

The Panthers continued their dominance in the first set, as well as the other two sets in a 3-0 sweep defeating Loyola University at their home court in Chicago, Illinois on Saturday. UNI held the Loyola Ramblers to a negative hitting percentage in the first (-.028) and third set (-.172).

Following Saturday’s win, the Panthers stand at 16-0 all-time against Loyola and 10-0 against the Ramblers since Loyola joined the Missouri Valley Conference. Thomas led the team in kills for the second straight night with a team high of 13 kills and a .323 hitting percentage. Thomas also posted a team best four blocks against the Ramblers.  Weber reached a career high four service aces, with all four coming in the remaining five points of the match which helped the Panthers get the victory.

UNI will return to the McLeod Center for two back-to-back home games against Illinois State and Bradley University this Friday and Saturday. The Panthers will look to maintain a perfect record within the Missouri Valley Conference.