Creighton Volleyball Team Sweeps Northern Iowa On Sunday

OMAHA–(CU Athletics Jan. 24)–In a battle of defending conference champions, the No. 15 Creighton Volleyball team improved to 2-0 with a 3-0 victory over Northern Iowa on Sunday afternoon at D.J. Sokol Arena. Scores of the match were 25-15, 25-22, 25-17.

Northern Iowa (0-3) scored the first point of the match before Creighton (2-0) reeled off the next four points. The Panthers would not lead again the rest of the match. Creighton hit .318 in the first set with seven different Bluejays providing at least one kill while limiting the Panthers to -.080 hitting.

Keeley Davis had five kills in eight swings during the second set, which would end up being the most competitive. The Bluejays seemed in control with a 17-13 lead, only to see UNI rally to draw within one at 20-19 and 23-22 before the Bluejays closed out the set on a kill by Jaela Zimmerman and a Panther attack error that sailed long.

Zimmerman dominated the final set with seven kills in nine swings as part of a Bluejay attack that hit .444. CU’s front line had five blocks, including three from freshman Kiara Reinhardt, to complete the sweep by a 25-17 margin. CU played 14 different women in the final frame, including the collegiate debuts of Nebraska natives Katie Maser (2 assists) and Megan Skovsende (2 digs).

Zimmerman had 12 kills and Davis added 11 kills on .474 hitting to pace the Bluejays. Mahina Pua’a had 14 assist and four digs while Ally Van Eekeren notched 11 assists and two blocks. Creighton tallied 38 kills, five aces, 29 digs and 10.0 blocks on .325 hitting overall.

Emily Holterhaus paced the Panthers with nine kills. The Panthers hit .072 and recorded 28 kills, two aces, 27 digs and three blocks on the afternoon.