Dec. 5, 2003
MINNEAPOLIS - In an epic NCAA Tournament First Round battle Friday night between two nationally-ranked conference champions, No. 16 Northern Iowa outlasted No. 20 UC Santa Barbara 30-27, 30-27, 24-30, 26-30, 16-14 in the Sports Pavilion.
Despite a career-high 27 kills from freshman outside hitter Janine Sandell, the Gauchos suffered just their second opening-round NCAA loss since 1989 and conclude the 2003 campaign at 19-9 overall. Meanwhile the Panthers improved to 28-5 and advance to face host school Minnesota in Saturday's second round.
Defending Big West Conference Champion UCSB appeared tentative in games one and two, failing to capitalize on a 21-18 lead in the first frame and then never leading in the second while committing 11 service errors.
However a different team emerged from the locker room for game three. After surrendering the opening point, Santa Barbara quickly built a 9-5 lead following Megan Blackshire's block, and UNI then asked for a timeout. The Gauchos maintained a comfortable cushion until a quick attack from Molly O'Brien brought Northern Iowa to within 23-21, but UCSB responded to win the two ensuing points, and surrendered just two more the rest of the frame. Santa Barbara clinched the game on a big slam from Sandell.
Sandell's fourth kill of the fourth frame established her new personal best and gave her squad a 12-6 advantage. The Gauchos dominated the action until UNI closed to within 20-16 and later 27-25 following a 6-0 run capped by O'Brien's put-away. However the Panther senior miscued on the next play, and UCSB freshman Jamie Garbisch then notched her only kill of the night. The Missouri Valley Conference champs scored once more before Blackshire sent this war into a decisive fifth frame by finding a gap on the opponent's side of the floor.
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Santa Barbara appeared to have fired the opening game-five salvo, but an attack by UNI's Shari Vermeer was ruled to have been touched before it sailed wide. Unfazed, the Gauchos won the next two points and neither team could pull ahead by more than one until Rachel Tink made the score 13-11, prompting UCSB head coach Kathy Gregory to ask for a stoppage in play. Her troops responded with three straight kills - one from junior setter Mari Bell and two courtesy of Sandell - giving UCSB match point at 14-13. It was then the Panthers' turn to call timeout, after which O'Brien sent the ball straight down and Santa Barbara committed a hitting error. With the tables turned, Tink capitalized and ended the Gauchos' season with the last of her team-high 21 kills on the night.
"When you get into the fifth game in rally scoring, anything can happen; it's the luck of the draw," Gregory said. "We had a chance to win, they had a chance to win, and they capitalized."
In addition to Sandell's 27 put-aways - 11 of which came during an errorless game two - the London, England native dug 10 balls for her first career double-double. Gaucho senior outside hitter Erica Menzel, playing her final collegiate match, joined the frosh in that club with 14 kills and a team-best 18 scoops, while Blackshire and freshman middle blocker Olivia Waldowski slammed home 16 and 13 balls, respectively. Bell had a solid all around match, establishing a new UCSB rally-scoring record with 66 assists to go along with 15 digs and eight kills. However, as a team the Gauchos hindered their effort with a season-high 15 service errors.
Tink led five UNI players in double-figures, which included O'Brien with 16 put-aways. Libero Stephanie May led all digging artists with 20, while senior setter Jill Arganbright amassed 71 assists and 11 scoops. Northern Iowa emerged victorious despite being out-hit .284 to .270 and out-blocked 11 to eight. However the Panthers dug 103 balls compared to Santa Barbara's 84.
