Box Score Elsah, ILL. -- The Panthers beat Iowa Wesleyan University for the second time this season, in three straight sets. Hay Fieldhouse was alive with positive energy from an excited Homecoming crowd. When the rallies were long and the pace was fast, the Panthers took care of the ball and patiently waited for their kaboom balls.
Emma Herman, Channing Fisher, and
Nikki Matters had some serious serving runs, and the Panther defense stayed focused to help the team score off of defensive transition. The Panthers were able to capitalize on IWU's Rover defense, finding holes on the court to create chaos on their side.
The match was oh-so-close, with IWU posting 33 kills to Principia's 31, however PC hit at a .197 clip compared to IWU's .161. The big difference that put the match in Prin's hands was 16 service aces compared to IWU's 2.
Emma Herman posted 6,
Nikki Matters 4, and
Amanda Roberts,
Sophia Hathaway,
Mia Gill and
Cha Cha Fisher each added one. The other difference-maker was Principia digging 66% of IWU's attacks compared to IWU digging 53% of the Panther swings. The backcourt defense was well rounded with everyone leaving some skin on the court, and picking up balls. The National NCAA Division 3 rankings just came out this week, and Principia is #5 in the nation for digs/set. This tenacity and persistence showed today.
