Saturday, September 4
Lexington, Ky.
4:00 PM
Creighton University
6-0,0-0Big East
3
vs
0
Northern Iowa
2-3,0-0MVC
1
2
3
F
UNI
20
21
11
0
Creighton
25
25
25
3
Photo by: Mark Cornelison
Volleyball Wins Bluegrass Battle Title With Win vs. UNI
9/4/2021 6:32:00 PM | Volleyball
Jays now 6-0 for first time
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Two weekends, two titles, and the best start in school history.
In a classic trap situation following victories over USC and No. 3 Kentucky and with a date against No. 4 Nebraska looming, the Creighton Volleyball team kept its focus to produce a 3-0 win vs. perennial nemesis Northern Iowa on Saturday in Lexington, Ky., to win the Bluegrass Battle. The win improved the Bluejays to 6-0 for the first time ever with four home matches on the horizon next week.
Scores of the match in CU's favor were 25-20, 25-21, 25-11, as Creighton improved to 10-2 since 2012 vs. Northern Iowa after winning just three of the first 46 match-ups from 1994-2011.
Creighton controlled the first set, hitting .308, as Jaela Zimmerman had seven kills and four blocks. Kendra Wait dished 16 assists and added five digs in the opener for the Bluejays.
In the second set Creighton fell behind early before a 5-0 serving blitz by Keeley Davis pushed the Bluejays in front, 10-8. The Jays fell behind 20-19, only to close out the set with a 6-1 run to own a 2-0 intermission lead. Annika Welty had three kills, including one on set point, as the Jays survived despite hitting .133 in the set. UNI hit .089 in the second game.
Creighton enjoyed an 8-2 start to open the third set and didn't look back en route to its sixth sweep in 55 all-time meetings against UNI. Ellie Bolton made her season debut and served up a 6-0 run to help CU move in front 17-5. Freshman Abbey Milner checked in on match point and delivered a kill on her only swing of the weekend to finish off the 25-11 victory. Creighton hit .433 in the clincher while holding the Panthers to -.133 hitting.
Zimmerman led Creighton with 12 kills, while Abby Bottomley added 11 digs. Kendra Wait had another double-double with 41 assists and 11 digs. Creighton had 47 kills, three aces, 49 digs and eight blocks while hitting .272.
UNI was led by eight kills from Kira Fallert and a dozen digs by Kaylee Donner. The Panthers did not record an ace and had 29 kills, 40 digs and six blocks on .073 hitting.
Creighton returns to action on Wednesday, Sept. 8, when it hosts No. 4 Nebraska in a 6:30 p.m. match that will be televised nationally on FS1.
NOTES: Creighton has now won the tournament with USC/UNI/Kentucky and Creighton three of the past four times it's been held. USC won the first three events (2014, 2015, 2016), as well as 2018. It is scheduled to be in Omaha next fall ... Creighton's 6-0 start bests its 5-0 start done in 2006 ... Abby Bottomley had double-figure digs for the 19th straight match.
In a classic trap situation following victories over USC and No. 3 Kentucky and with a date against No. 4 Nebraska looming, the Creighton Volleyball team kept its focus to produce a 3-0 win vs. perennial nemesis Northern Iowa on Saturday in Lexington, Ky., to win the Bluegrass Battle. The win improved the Bluejays to 6-0 for the first time ever with four home matches on the horizon next week.
Scores of the match in CU's favor were 25-20, 25-21, 25-11, as Creighton improved to 10-2 since 2012 vs. Northern Iowa after winning just three of the first 46 match-ups from 1994-2011.
Creighton controlled the first set, hitting .308, as Jaela Zimmerman had seven kills and four blocks. Kendra Wait dished 16 assists and added five digs in the opener for the Bluejays.
In the second set Creighton fell behind early before a 5-0 serving blitz by Keeley Davis pushed the Bluejays in front, 10-8. The Jays fell behind 20-19, only to close out the set with a 6-1 run to own a 2-0 intermission lead. Annika Welty had three kills, including one on set point, as the Jays survived despite hitting .133 in the set. UNI hit .089 in the second game.
Creighton enjoyed an 8-2 start to open the third set and didn't look back en route to its sixth sweep in 55 all-time meetings against UNI. Ellie Bolton made her season debut and served up a 6-0 run to help CU move in front 17-5. Freshman Abbey Milner checked in on match point and delivered a kill on her only swing of the weekend to finish off the 25-11 victory. Creighton hit .433 in the clincher while holding the Panthers to -.133 hitting.
Zimmerman led Creighton with 12 kills, while Abby Bottomley added 11 digs. Kendra Wait had another double-double with 41 assists and 11 digs. Creighton had 47 kills, three aces, 49 digs and eight blocks while hitting .272.
UNI was led by eight kills from Kira Fallert and a dozen digs by Kaylee Donner. The Panthers did not record an ace and had 29 kills, 40 digs and six blocks on .073 hitting.
Creighton returns to action on Wednesday, Sept. 8, when it hosts No. 4 Nebraska in a 6:30 p.m. match that will be televised nationally on FS1.
NOTES: Creighton has now won the tournament with USC/UNI/Kentucky and Creighton three of the past four times it's been held. USC won the first three events (2014, 2015, 2016), as well as 2018. It is scheduled to be in Omaha next fall ... Creighton's 6-0 start bests its 5-0 start done in 2006 ... Abby Bottomley had double-figure digs for the 19th straight match.
Team Stats
UNI
CU
Kills
29
47
Errors
21
16
Attempts
109
114
Hitting %
.073
.272
Points
35.0
58.0
Assists
29
46
Aces
0
3
Blocks
6.0
8.0
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
12
Aces
1
Blocks
3
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
4
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
4
Players Mentioned
DS
/ Volleyball
DS
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
S
/ VolleyballMB/RS
/ VolleyballOH
/ VolleyballCreighton Media Availability Volleyball Sept. 17
Wednesday, September 17
#18 Creighton Volleyball vs. #1 Nebraska Highlights - 9/16/25
Wednesday, September 17
Creighton Volleyball vs. Nebraska Press Conference - 9/16/25
Monday, September 15
Creighton Volleyball Highlights vs. UNI - 9/14/25
Sunday, September 14
