The UNI Panther volleyball team headed out to sunny Los Angeles this weekend to compete in the USC Radisson Classic.

While the weather might have been nice for the Lady Panthers, the tournament results were not as agreeable.

UNI was swept in the first match on Friday by #22 Creighton by a set score 25-20, 32-30, 27-25.

Saturday’s noon match saw UNI lose to USC, the Trojans won 25-21, 25-21, 24-26, 25-23. For the final game of the tourney, UNI beat #23 Kentucky 25-23, 25-21, 25-23 to finish third in the tournament.

On paper the Creighton loss is as good as you could hope for in a sweep. UNI was close in every set and had opportunities to upset a top-25 ranked opponent. In reality, though, it was a missed opportunity.

The Panthers led the first set 20-19 after 11 ties before allowing the Bluejays six unanswered points. The second set was a contest of wills as it had 17 ties.

Creighton just escaped, despite UNI having six set points. The third set was a series of runs that saw UNI squander a set point at 24-23 and allow three straight Creighton points. Sophomore Bri Weber helped UNI stay in it with 10 kills and 10 digs.

For the first time this season a UNI match didn’t end in a three set sweep. In fact, UNI gained the first ever set win against USC, the tournament host.

The first two sets were fairly routine with back- and-forth scoring with USC pulling away at the end in both. The third set demonstrated the team’s grit.

They came back from 20-11 down to tie it at 22 and managed to complete the in-set comeback. The final set played like a tragedy.

UNI was walking to a fifth set tiebreaker, up 21-15 and squandered the lead. Weber once more led the team with 13 kills and team high 16 digs.

Fellow Sophomore Piper Thomas also kept UNI in it with team high 15 kills and three solo blocks.

The Panthers scored their first win over a ranked team since 2013 when they beat Louisville. It was also the first time UNI has beaten the Wildcats in four attempts.

All three sets were close ones, but UNI never led by more than four and Kentucky never led more than three points in any given set.

Seniors Amie Held and Kayla Haneline led the Panthers combining for 20 kills, six blocks and 13 digs.

The women’s volleyball team will back in action Friday for a two game tournament in the Kangaroo Klassic in Kansas City, MO.