Box Score Box Score
LARWENCE, KS - The Winthrop volleyball team lost in its final game of the Kansas Invitational to 18th-ranked Northern Iowa Panthers in straight sets (25-19, 25-19, 25-12) at the Horejsi Family Athletics Center.
The loss puts the Eagles record at 2-7 overall, as the Panthers improve to 8-2 on the year.
Winthrop finished the match with 29 kills and 37 digs, compared to Northern Iowa's 44 kills, 33 digs and a .312 attacking percentage.
Winthrop was led by senior outside hitter Kaley Viola who was one kill shy of finishing with a double-double. Viola had nine kills and eleven digs to lead the Eagles in both categories. Sophomore outside hitter Carolyn Weed finished the match with seven kills. Junior middle hitter Becca Toor posted a .417 attacking percentage to lead Winthrop. Two Eagles ended the match with double figures in digs with Viola's 11 and senior libeiro Kelsey Harrison's 10. Senior setter Kelsey Hall finished with 22 assists.
In the first set, Winthrop saw an early lead at 7-3, but the Panthers rallied and the Eagles never saw a lead for the rest of the set. Northern Iowa took the set 25-19. Redshirt sophomore right side Brittany Blackman led Winthrop in kills in the first set with three.
"We started off the match maintaining our side, limiting out unforced errors," head coach Sally Polhamus said. "We did a nice job of finishing plays and running our game."
The Eagles got off to another fast start in the second set, but could not keep up with the Panthers offense. Northern Iowa finished the set with 14 kills and five blocks in the set, compared to Winthrop's 10 kills and one block.
"Our passing game broke down," added Polhamus. "We struggled with our hitting in set 2."
In the third set, the Panthers were the team that got out to the fast start. Winthrop could not claw their way back into the set, as Northern Iowa took the final set 25-12.
"We got down early," said Polhamus. "You cannot recover with that deficit against a team as strong as Northern Iowa."
Viola's play over the weekend earned her a spot on the All-Tournament Team. She was the only representative for the Eagles to make the squad.
Winthrop will play in its fourth tournament of the season next weekend traveling to Statesboro, GA to participate in the Georgia Southern Invitational. The Eagles will play two games on Friday, Sept 17 against the South Alabama Jaguars and the Georgia Southern Eagles. They will conclude tournament play on Saturday, Sept. 18 against the East Tennessee State Buccaneers.
