CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Indiana State volleyball closed its two-match Iowa road trip Saturday night, as the Sycamores were defeated by Northern Iowa in three sets (25-20, 25-13, 25-13) inside the McLeod Center.
 
Curry Kendall led the Sycamore attack with nine kills and hit a team-leading .207 in the match. Emma Kaelin added six kills and seven digs, while Kira Holland had five kills. Emily Weber dished out 21 assists, while Macy Lengacher led all players with 19 digs.
 
Kills from Weber and Holland got things started for the Sycamores in the first set, with Holland, Kendall and Kaelin tacking on ealy kills to keep the Trees within a pair of the conference leaders. Kendall added a pair of kills and teamed up with Lily Mueller on a block to get the Sycamores within 12-10, and kills from Holland and Kaelin made it a one-point game moments later. Indiana State tied things up with kills from Kaelin and Kendall, along with a pair of UNI errors, but the Panthers used a three-point run to take the lead for good. Kendall put down a pair of late kills, with Kaelin adding another, but Northern Iowa held on to take the opening set 25-20.
 
Set two got off to a positive start for the Sycamores courtesy of kills from Kaelin and Kendall, but Northern Iowa used a 5-1 run to go in front 8-3. Kills from Weber and Ella Scott, along with a block assist from Kaelin and Scott, pulled the Trees closer midway through, but UNI kept its foot on the gas and extended its lead further to 17-9. Mueller put down a pair of kills to cut into the deficit, with Kendall adding one late, but Northern Iowa took a 2-0 lead in the match by taking the second set 25-13.
 
Northern Iowa took full control of the third set early, scoring the first eight points and 15 of the first 17. Kills from Kaelin and Hannah Baudin cut into the Sycamores' deficit, with Kendall and Smith adding on with kills of their own. Indiana State went on a late four-point run with a kill from Holland and three blocks, with Scott factoring into all three blocks and Holland playing a role in two. Northern Iowa eventually prevailed, though, taking the third set 25-13 to close out the match.
 
News and Notes

• Indiana State kept the opening set close thanks to its attack, as the Sycamores hit .257 (14 kills, five errors, 35 attempts) in the first frame.
• Macy Lengacher led all players with 19 digs and averaged more than six digs per set in both ends of the two-match Iowa road trip.
• Curry Kendall accounted for nearly one-third of Indiana State's kills Saturday, with underclassmen totaling 21 of the Sycamores' 29 kills.
• Ella Scott registered a team-high five blocks (one solo, four assist), marking the eighth time this season that she had five or more blocks in a match.
• Indiana State's hitting percentage was nearly 20 points better than what Northern Iowa's opponents have hit during conference play.

 
Up Next
Indiana State returns home for the next four matches, starting Friday at 6 p.m. against Illinois State inside ISU Arena.
 
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