The Saluki women’s volleyball team (2-7, 1-6 MVC) suffered a 3-0 loss against the University of Northern Iowa (4-6, 4-3 MVC) on Feb. 21 in Carbondale. SIU stayed close with the Panthers in each set, only losing by a couple of points.

Junior middle blocker Inga Rotta led the Panthers in kills with 11 and redshirt freshman outside hitter Alex Washington and freshman outside hitter Tatum Tornatta led the Salukis in kills, with seven each.

Northern Iowa led SIU in kills (39-33), service aces (11-5), blocks (5.0-2.0) and digs (37-31).

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Both teams started the game by trading kills, with scoring from UNI’s sophomore middle blocker Kaylissa Arndorfer and junior middle blocker Carly Spies and SIU’s Tornatta and freshman middle hitter Imani Hartfield.

The Panthers took the lead, 10-7, after two kills by Arndorfer, a kill by freshman outside hitter Yagmur Cinel and a service ace from freshman setter Tayler Alden.

The Salukis fought to gain the lead with a kill from redshirt junior outside hitter Hannah Becker and a block from Tornatta and Hartfield, but UNI kept the lead 14-10.

The Panthers expanded their lead to five points with kills by Arndorfer and Rotto and errors by Southern.

Despite the Salukis offensive and defensive efforts, Northern Iowa continued scoring and won the first set 25-18.

The Salukis started the second set off early with a kill by Tornatta and a service error by UNI.

Northern Iowa took the lead, 6-4, after going on a four-point run with kills by Rotto and Cinel and two service aces from sophomore middle blocker Emily Holterhaus.

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The Salukis decreased the lead to two points after kills from Washington and Becker.

Scoring went back-and-forth between the two teams and the Salukis managed to get within one point of the Panthers, 16-15.

The teams continued trading kills near the end of the second set, until SIU regained the lead, 21-20, after an attack error from Arndorfer and a bad set by Alden.

Northern Iowa regained the lead and won the set, 25-23, after attack errors from Becker and Tornatta, giving them the lead in the game 2-0.

The third set started with the Salukis and the Panthers trading points and the score was tied 7-7.

SIU gained a three-point lead from a kill and two service aces by Emma Baalman and an attack error by Cinel.

UNI fought to gain the lead with kills by Rotto, Spies and Arndorfer, but the Salukis held the lead, 13-11.

The score was tied, 15-15, after attack and service errors from both teams. A seven-point run by the Panthers gave them a 23-16 lead over the Salukis.

SIU continued fighting to regain the lead with kills from Becker and Hartfield and a service ace from senior setter Rachel Maguire, making the score 24-21.

Northern Iowa won the third set, 25-21, after a kill by Holterhaus, giving them the 3-0 victory.

The Salukis will take on Northern Iowa again on Feb. 22 at 3 p.m in Davies Gym.

Staff reporter Janae Mosby can be reached at jmosby@dailyegyptian.com or on Twitter at @mosbyj.

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