Sept. 6, 2002

Box Score

Minneapolis, Minn. - No. 9 Northern Iowa defeated the Rhode Island volleyball team 3-0 Friday at the Diet Coke Classic. Northern Iowa won 30-18, 30-22, 30-18 to improve to 6-1 on the season.

Sophomore Kaleena Miller (Mahopac, N.Y.) led the Rams with 12 kills and nine digs. She hit .348 for the match.

Sophomore Abby Thornbladh (Ann Arbor, Mich.) had seven kills and four blocks, while junior setter Julia Schlecht (Sundern, Germany) dished out 31 assists and had five digs. Junior Michelle Fulton (Dana Point, Calif.) registered five kills and four digs, and junior Mary Kate Reardon (Bellmore, N.Y.) had nine digs and four kills.

Kim Kester led Northern Iowa with a double-double of 10 kills and 13 digs. Molly O'Brien had 10 kills and five blocks, and Michelle Burvee had seven kills and seven blocks.

Rhode Island plays No. 20 Minnesota at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, and then plays No. 7 UCLA at 5 p.m. Minnesota upset UCLA in the second match of the Diet Coke Classic, 3-0. The day will wrap up a stretch of five top 20 opponents in the first six matches for the Rams (1-3).

No. 9 Northern Iowa 3, Rhode Island 0
Rhode Island	     18    22    18
Northern Iowa	     30    30	 30