TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Kaitlyn Hamilton had a match-high 12 kills Friday evening and Karinna Gall had nine, but Indiana State was edged by Northern Iowa in three sets (25-22, 25-23, 25-22) inside ISU Arena.
 
Melina Tedrow had a match-high 18 digs from the back row, while Emma Kaelin recorded 29 assists for the Sycamores. Mallory Keller added seven kills on 14 attempts, with Hamilton and Storm Suhre each having notching five block assists.
 
Indiana State jumped out to an 8-2 lead early in the first set, as Gall and Hamilton had two kills apiece within the first six points. The Sycamores extended their lead to seven at 12-5 following a UNI service error, but the Panthers clawed their way back in the set. Seven straight points for the Panthers evened the score, and the remainder of the set became a back-and-forth affair. UNI led by as many as four late in the set, but a pair of blocks along with a kill by Hamilton tied the set at 22-all. Three straight points for the visitors closed it out though, as UNI took the opener 25-22.
 
Similar to the first set, the Sycamores got off to a strong start and led 6-1 early in the second following two block assists by Suhre and Hamilton. The lead was one that Indiana State maintained for most of the set, with Gall notching four kills in a seven-point span to keep the Trees in front. UNI rallied, though, and used a late three-point run to tak e a 21-19 lead. Gall and Keller notched kills to fend off a pair of set points, but the visiting Panthers held on to take the second set 25-23, taking a 2-0 lead in the match.
 
Neither team had much separation early in the third set until a 4-1 run saw Northern Iowa go in front 10-7. Three kills by Keller, along with a service ace by Cadence Gilley, put Indiana State ahead 18-14 as part of a 7-2 run for the Syacmores. Just like the first two sets, though, Northern Iowa stormed back. The Panthers went on a seven-point run to take the lead for good. Despite late kills by Jamie Brown and Hamilton, the visitors took the third set 25-22 to clinch the match.
 
Inside the Numbers

• Karinna Gall finished a kill shy of a double-double, as she had 14 digs to go along with nine kills.
• Storm Suhre recorded her team-leading eighth match of the season with five or more blocks. It was also the 10th time in her career with five or more blocks in a match.
• Kaitlyn Hamilton's 14-kill performance was her 10th match of the season with double-digit kills, the most on the team.

 
News and Notes

• Friday's match was the second straight for the Sycamores where every set was decided by three points or less. Prior to the last two matches, the Sycamores had not had that occur this season.
• Friday's match was the first of five straight against top-five teams in the MVC, as the Sycamores will also face Drake, UIC, Valparaiso and Southern Illinois during this stretch.
• Melina Tedrow sits three digs shy of reaching 2,000 for her career.

 
Up Next
Indiana State remains at home to face Drake Saturday at 6 p.m.
 
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