Oct. 22, 2002

Box Score

MILWAUKEE - Kim Kester had 14 kills to lead three players in double figures as 10th-ranked Northern Iowa scored a 30-23, 30-21, 30-20 win over UWM Tuesday night at the Klotsche Center.

Karen Fruit had 14 kills to lead UWM (11-11), which saw its seven-match winning streak snapped. The Panthers hit just .078 for the match and UNI limited outside hitters Tari Boutin (-.097) and Sarah Potts (-.045) to a negative hitting percentage.

Molly O'Brien and Michelle Burvee added 11 kills for UNI (21-2), which has been ranked as high as seventh nationally this season.

"They are so good that even when they are off a little during a play they're great," UWM head coach Kathy Litzau said. "They are a very physical team and they work so well together. That's what the 10th-ranked team in the country looks like."

UWM's middle hitters provided much of the Panther offense Tuesday night. Fruit's performance also included four blocks and a .300 hitting percentage while Larissa Cattanach added seven kills.

"Karen was a stud," Litzau said. "If she does that against this team, she can certainly do more against the teams in our league."

The first game was tight early, with UWM rallying from a 15-11 deficit to pull within 15-14. But UNI pushed back, scoring eight of the next nine points for a 23-15 advantage. UWM could get no closer than six points the rest of the way.

In game two, UWM held a 10-9 lead following an attack error by O'Brien and, even after a UNI run, the Panthers were still within 18-15 following a kill by Boutin. But UNI rolled off six-straight points to take control of the game and closed things out on a kill by Rachael Tink.

UWM dug an early hole in game three and, despite rallying to within 10-7, could never fully recover. A Rachel Kuebbing kill pulled the Panthers back to within 18-14, but again a UNI burst - this time an 8-2 run - put the game and the match away.

UWM returns to action Friday night, hosting Butler at 7 p.m. at the Klotsche Center.