Connect with us
https://yoursportsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/call-to-1.png

Sports

Fantasy Football Playoffs Wildcard Round DFS

Published

on

Fantasy Football Playoffs Wildcard Round DFS

justin-jefferson-vikings-usatsi.jpg
USATSI

Allen loves playoff home openers. He’s played four of them in his career, averaging 296.8 passing yards over that span with 13 touchdowns, two interceptions, 214 rushing yards, and two touchdowns. He’s worth the price.Robinson has gone four games in a row without a touchdown, and he’s been held to 87 total yards or less in four consecutive outings. With Austin Ekeler back, Robinson’s role in the passing game should be minimal. Now, he had 12 carries for 40 yards and a touchdown and three catches for 49 yards on four targets in Week 1 at Tampa Bay, but Robinson’s production should be limited if he doesn’t score a touchdown. And the Buccaneers have allowed just one touchdown to a running back since Week 12.Herbert has been great in his past two games — both on the road — at New England and Las Vegas with 627 passing yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions, and he should stay hot against Houston. The Texans have struggled against the past two good quarterbacks they faced in Patrick Mahomes in Week 16 and Lamar Jackson in Week 17, and Herbert is among the best values of the weekend.

Quarterbacks

Good values

Ertz is hot heading into the playoffs with 11 catches for 116 yards and three touchdowns on 12 targets in his past two games against Atlanta and Dallas. He’s now scored a touchdown in five of his past seven games, and this is a great matchup against the Buccaneers, who are No. 7 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends. Ertz only had three catches for 28 yards on four targets in Week 1 at Tampa Bay, but that was Jayden Daniels’ first NFL game. Ertz should perform better in the rematch.It would be great if Kincaid got hot in the playoffs, but he was miserable in the regular season with only two touchdowns and no games over 53 receiving yards. The Broncos haven’t allowed a tight end to score a touchdown since Week 13, and Kincaid is tough to trust given his body of work this season.

DraftKingsJaylen Warren ,200 DraftKings/,600 FanDuelRB: Bucky Irving (vs. WAS) ,600Tucker Kraft 3,700 DraftKings/,300 FanDuel

Bad values

George Pickens ,300 DraftKings/,900 FanDuelWild-card weekend should be fun, and there are several ways to get your DFS fix on DraftKings and FanDuel with games on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. With that in mind, here are the players we like the most based on their cost, as well as others you might want to avoid.

Zay Flowers (knee) is out against Pittsburgh, so Bateman should take on a bigger role. And he’s done well this season when his targets have been increased. He has three games this season with eight targets, and he scored a touchdown in each outing with at least four catches and 54 yards. Flowers was injured in Week 18 against Cleveland, and Bateman had five catches for 76 yards and a touchdown on eight targets. Bateman also scored on his lone 14-yard reception against the Steelers in Week 16 on three targets.Justin Herbert ,000 DraftKings/,600 FanDuel

Running backs

Good values

Zach Ertz ,300 DraftKings/,800 FanDuelPickens was great in Week 11 against Baltimore with eight catches for 89 yards on 12 targets, but he missed the rematch in Week 16 with a hamstring injury. In two games since he returned from the injury against Kansas City and Cincinnati, Pickens has combined for just four catches for 50 yards on 13 targets. He has the potential to go off, but the Ravens have allowed just one touchdown to a receiver since Week 10. It’s tough to trust Pickens based on the matchup and his recent level of play.FLEX: Marvin Mims Jr. (at BUF) ,100RB: Bucky Irving (vs. WAS) ,000

Jordan Love ,800 DraftKings/,200 FanDuelBaker Mayfield ,800 DraftKings/,900 FanDuelDEF: Chargers (vs. HOU) ,400Jalen McMillan ,200 DraftKings/,400 FanDuel

Bad values

Mixon hasn’t scored a touchdown since Week 13, and he’s totaled 71 yards or less in four games in a row. The Chargers are No. 6 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and they are No. 2 in fewest total touchdowns allowed to running backs with seven. I wouldn’t be shocked if Mixon breaks out of his slump here at home, but I’d rather spend money on Bucky Irving than Mixon this week.WR: Rashod Bateman (vs. PIT) ,000

Pat Freiermuth ,400 DraftKings/,500 FanDuelThere are plenty of high-end players to roster, but you know who those guys are. It’s just a matter of fitting them into your lineup.WR: Jalen McMillan (vs. WAS) ,200In the first meeting with Minnesota in Week 8, Kupp had five catches for 51 yards and a touchdown on eight targets. Fantasy managers would love to see that from Kupp again because he was miserable in his past three games prior to the playoffs. Over that span against San Francisco, the Jets and Arizona, Kupp had four catches for 53 yards and no touchdowns on nine targets. That used to be a half of production for Kupp. Maybe he can flip a switch in the playoffs, but he’s only worth using as a contrarian play in this game against the Vikings.Marvin Mims Jr ,100 DraftKings/,900 FanDuelEven though Gus Edwards (ankle) is back after missing the final two games, I still expect Dobbins to get 15-20 total touches. The Texans struggled with Kareem Hunt in Week 16 and Derrick Henry in Week 17, and Dobbins has six touchdowns in his past seven games.

RB: James Cook (vs. DEN) ,700Isaiah Likely ,200 DraftKings/,200 FanDuel

Wide receivers

Good values

It’s hard to avoid Evans based on his role since he has at least eight targets in four games in a row, including 42 targets over that span. He also has at least eight catches and 89 yards in three games over that stretch, with four touchdowns. But now he’s facing a rematch with old foe Marshon Lattimore, and we’ll see if he can frustrate Evans like he used to in New Orleans. According to Pro Football Focus, Evans has faced Lattimore 11 times, and Evans has only 15 catches for 306 yards and two touchdowns on 29 targets in those matchups. Given his price, you might want to stay away from Evans in DFS.Dalton Schultz ,600 DraftKings/,600 FanDuelIrving only had nine carries for 62 yards and two catches for 14 yards on three targets in Week 1 against Washington, but he wasn’t the main running back then in his first NFL game. He’s a star now and has scored at least 16.3 DraftKings points and 15.3 FanDuel points in four games in a row. The Commanders have also struggled recently against Saquon Barkley, Bijan Robinson and Rico Dowdle in their past three games.WR: Jalen McMillan (vs. WAS) ,400

Love passed for 260 yards, two touchdowns and one interception against the Eagles in Week 1 in Brazil, and it’s hard to trust him based on his performance to close the season. He has one game with more than 20 Fantasy points on either site since Week 6, and Philadelphia is No. 4 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks. Love also doesn’t have Christian Watson (knee) for the rest of the playoffs.Sam Darnold ,500 DraftKings/,800 FanDuelFreiermuth has been great down the stretch with a touchdown or at least 60 receiving yards in six of his past nine games. But two of his bad outings were against the Ravens, and he combined for just five catches for 30 yards on five targets in those meetings. He should continue to be a go-to option for Russell Wilson, but given his performances against Baltimore this year, I would avoid Freiermuth in most lineups.Jaleel McLaughlin ,900 DraftKings/,500 FanDuelDalton Kincaid ,000 DraftKings/,700 FanDuelCooper Kupp ,400 DraftKings/,000 FanDuel

Nacua is easy to trust and worth his price. He has at least eight targets in eight games in a row and at least seven catches in seven of those outings. He also has at least 97 receiving yards in six of those games, with three touchdowns.QB: Matthew Stafford (vs. MIN) ,100

Bad values

I expect the Steelers to be chasing points, and Warren should be involved in the passing game. Baltimore was one of 11 teams to allow at least 80 receptions to running backs, and Warren had nine catches for 71 yards on nine targets against the Ravens in two games.Cam Akers ,800 DraftKings/,200 FanDuelEkeler didn’t do much in his return to action from his four-game absence with a concussion in Week 18 at Dallas with three carries for 12 yards and two catches for 20 yards on two targets, but I like his setup at Tampa Bay this week. He had four catches for 52 yards on four targets in Week 1 against the Buccaneers, along with two carries for 10 yards, and Tampa Bay is tied for sixth in most receptions to running backs with 84. This game could be a track meet, and Ekeler should be a valuable weapon for Jayden Daniels.McLaughlin has one rushing touchdown and two receiving touchdowns this season, but he hasn’t found the end zone since Week 8. While he’s been Denver’s best running back down the stretch, including two games since Week 13 with at least 15 total touches, he continues to share work with Javonte Williams and Audric Estime. Even though Buffalo is No. 6 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, I’d avoid all of the Broncos running backs in this game.

TE: Isaiah Likely (vs. PIT) ,200For this lineup, I’ll stack the Rams of Stafford and Nacua, hoping they get their offense on track against the Vikings. Stafford is due for a big game and had four touchdowns against Minnesota in Week 8, and Nacua had seven catches for 106 yards on nine targets against the Vikings in that game.

Tight ends

Good values

Rashod Bateman ,000 DraftKings/,100 FanDuelMcMillan had a minimal role in Week 1 against Washington in his first NFL game, but he scored on his lone reception for 32 yards, with three targets. Now, McMillan is a featured part of Tampa Bay’s offense, and he’s scored a touchdown in five games in a row, with seven touchdowns over that span. He also has 31 targets in those five games and five catches in four consecutive outings. Marshon Lattimore could once again make things tough on Mike Evans, and Baker Mayfield may lean more on McMillan in this matchup.RB: J.K. Dobbins (vs. HOU) ,100For example, I built a lineup to consider on each site using the main slate for the entire wild-card weekend. Hopefully, these players help you have a profitable start to the NFL postseason.

Brian Robinson Jr. ,800 DraftKings/,500 FanDuelHarris had a solid game against the Ravens in Week 11 with 18 carries for 63 yards and four catches for 30 yards on five targets, but he struggled in the rematch in Week 16 with nine carries for 42 yards and no catches on one target. Harris has one touchdown in his past four games, and Baltimore hasn’t allowed a rushing touchdown in three games in a row. This feels more like a game for Jaylen Warren than Harris, especially if the Steelers fall behind early.

Bad values

WR: Jordan Addison (at LAR) ,800In his past two full games with Jayden Daniels, Zaccheaus has been a star, and hopefully that carries over to the playoffs. In Weeks 16 and 17 against the Eagles and Falcons, Zaccheaus had 17 targets for 13 catches, 155 yards and three touchdowns. Daniels didn’t play a full game in Week 18 at Dallas, but Zaccheaus still had two catches for 51 yards on five targets. He’s become a featured part of Washington’s offense, and he’s a great bargain given the matchup with the Buccaneers, who are No. 6 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers.Joe Mixon ,200 DraftKings/,500 FanDuelFLEX: Austin Ekeler (at TB) ,400Akers is the No. 11 running back on FanDuel, and he’s more expensive than Najee Harris, Rachaad White, Jaylen Warren and Austin Ekeler. While Akers has done well in tandem with Aaron Jones, he’s been at 10 total touches or less in seven games in a row. He also has two total touchdowns over that span, and he has four catches on five targets in his past five games. Akers isn’t worth the cost on either site as long as Jones is healthy.Kraft should benefit with Christian Watson (knee) not playing, and Kraft’s numbers have improved when Watson has been out or injured, which happened five times this year. In those games, Kraft has at least 53 receiving yards in four outings, with three touchdowns. He’s also seen at least five targets in three of those games, with 28 total targets during that stretch. This is a tough matchup since the Eagles are No. 2 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends, but Kraft’s opportunity and price make him a decent dart throw this week.

Lineups

Darnold was bad in Week 18 at Detroit with 166 passing yards and no touchdowns, and the Rams have been great against opposing quarterbacks of late. From Weeks 12-17, the Rams held Jalen Hurts, Brock Purdy, Aaron Rodgers and Kyler Murray to fewer than 20 Fantasy points, and I’m nervous Darnold will struggle. He did have 240 passing yards and two touchdowns against the Rams in Week 8, but I don’t like this matchup.Mayfield opened the 2024 season against Washington with 289 passing yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. He has 10 passing touchdowns in his past three home games, and this game has the highest projected total of the weekend at 50.5 points.The Chargers are one of three teams to allow just two touchdowns to tight ends this season, along with the Cardinals and Saints. Schultz only has two touchdowns this year, and he’s been held to fewer than 50 receiving yards in 14 games, including four in a row. Even though he’s a cheap option, the matchup isn’t ideal for Schultz, nor is his lack of production this season.I’m also going to play Cook in this game, and he has a touchdown in four games in a row, with six total touchdowns over that span. He’s also run for at least 100 yards in two games during that stretch, and Cook and Allen should have success on the ground against Denver’s defense.J.K. Dobbins ,200 DraftKings/,100 FanDuelAddison only had two catches for 22 yards on three targets at the Rams in Week 8, and he was held to one catch for no yards on six targets in Week 18 at Detroit. Prior to facing the Lions, Addison had five touchdowns in his previous four games, with at least eight targets in each outing over that span. He’s a good price based on his upside.I’ll counter the Bills stack with Mims, who you can read about above. Based on their values, I’m also taking a chance on several other players mentioned above.I’ll counter the Rams stack with Addison, who you can read about above, along with most of the other players listed here. As for Andrews, he has scored a touchdown in six games in a row, including Week 16 against the Steelers when he had four catches for 37 yards on six targets. And Andrews should benefit with Zay Flowers (knee) out.WR: Puka Nacua (vs. MIN) ,700Najee Harris ,000 DraftKings/,000 FanDuelJordan Addison ,100 DraftKings/,800 FanDuelMike Evans ,900 DraftKings/,400 FanDuelQB: Josh Allen (vs. DEN) ,200TE: Mark Andrews (vs. PIT) ,200

FanDuel

Olamide Zaccheaus ,400 DraftKings/,600 FanDuelLikely has the chance for a bigger role with Zay Flowers (knee) out, and Likely is worth using this week based on his price and opportunity. He has four games this season with at least five targets, and he has at least 75 receiving yards or a touchdown in three of those outings. One of those games was Week 11 against the Steelers when he had four catches for 75 yards on five targets, and he also caught a touchdown against Pittsburgh in Week 16 with three catches for 29 yards on three targets. The Steelers have been miserable against tight ends lately, allowing four touchdowns to the position in the past five games, and Likely and Mark Andrews should both do well in this third matchup with their division rival.WR: Khalil Shakir (vs. DEN) ,300Austin Ekeler ,800 DraftKings/,400 FanDuelI’ll stack Allen with Shakir, and he has at least six targets in 10 games in a row. He only has two touchdowns over that span, but he has six games with at least six catches and four outings with at least 65 receiving yards. He should avoid Patrick Surtain II by lining up in the slot, and Allen should lean on Shakir in this matchup.Stafford has been awful in his past three games against the 49ers, Jets and Cardinals with fewer than 200 passing yards in each outing and one touchdown and one interception over that span. He passed for 279 yards, four touchdowns and one interception against Minnesota in Week 8, and I’m hopeful for a similar performance in the rematch.Christian Watson (knee) is out, and Wicks should have a bigger role. That’s been the case the entire season when Watson was hurt during a game or missed, which has happened five times. In those five games, Wicks has received at least five targets, with 38 total targets over that span. He’s also scored three touchdowns and has two outings with five receptions. The key for the Packers is how much Jordan Love will throw, but Wicks is worth the risk at his cost. He could have a breakout game if Love is close to 40 pass attempts in this matchup.DST: Ravens (vs. PIT) ,700Mims has suddenly become a featured part of Denver’s offense, and it’s been fun to see. In his past two games against Cincinnati and Kansas City, Mims has 13 targets for 13 catches, 154 yards and four touchdowns. He has at least five targets in three games in a row, and hopefully Bo Nix continues to lean on Mims at Buffalo. He’s a great price on both sites given his upside.Matthew Stafford ,700 DraftKings/,100 FanDuelDontayvion Wicks ,500 DraftKings/,400 FanDuelBucky Irving ,000 DraftKings/,600 FanDuel

Sports

2025 NCAA volleyball tournament: Bracket, schedule, results

Published

on


Dec. 5, 2025Updated Dec. 6, 2025, 12:22 a.m. ET



Link

Continue Reading

Sports

Saddle Up: No. 3 Badgers advance to Regional Semifinals

Published

on


MADISON, Wis. – The No. 3 seeded Wisconsin volleyball team punched their ticket to the Regional Semifinals for the 13th consecutive season with their second sweep in as many days, this time defeating North Carolina (25-14, 25-21, 27-25) in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament. 

UW maintained their momentum from their First Round battle right away in set one, putting together a 15-9 advantage with a potent attack on the offensive end. 

The Badgers (26-4) were able to close out the first frame behind a 4-0 run, highlighted by a pair of kills turned in by outside hitter Mimi Colyer. Setter Charlie Fuerbringer was able to cap it off with a kill of her own, tallying eight between the pair of matches this weekend. 

After a back-and-forth affair to begin the second set, Wisconsin found some separation by winning four-of-five rallies to build a 12-7 lead. The Tar Heels provided a quick response to bring it within 18-17 with the help of their physical block. 

Outside hitter Una Vajagic and right side Grace Egan each racked up a kill to force a North Carolina (22-9) timeout. Egan wrapped up the set two with another kill, as the Badgers went on to win three of the four last points. 

Wisconsin and the Tar Heels continued to trade points throughout the majority of the third set, which saw 19 ties and 10 lead changes. Colyer accumulated her 20th kill of the match in the process—giving UW a narrow 14-13 lead at the midway point of the set. 

Vajagic recorded six kills in the set, providing a spark on the offensive side of the ball. The redshirt sophomore continued to excel for the Badgers, concluding the match with 12 kills on a .435 hitting percentage. 

Late in the set, North Carolina fought back to force extra points by winning three-straight points. Outside hitter Trinity Shadd-Ceres and libero Maile Chan entered late and made an instant impact, highlighted by a block from Shadd-Ceres and a pair of digs turned in by Chan. UW made one final push to officially advance in the NCAA Tournament, led by a resilient effort on the defensive end—converting on a trio of kills to wrap up the match. 

Colyer, in her final match at the UW Field House, ended a lengthy rally with a kill to seal the victory. The senior finished with 22 on the evening, the 11th time this year where she has accumulated 20 or more. The five-time Big Ten Player of the Week also earned her eighth double-double of the season, adding 13 digs. 

Egan joined Colyer in the double-double department, emerging as a staple on the defensive end with 11 digs, complemented by her 11 kills. Libero Kristen Simon put together another standout showing defensively as well, totaling a team-high 16 digs. The freshman added eight assists to wrap up a strong week of play in her NCAA Tournament debut. 

On the front line, Fuerbringer led the way with 43 assists—powering the Badgers to a hitting percentage of .365 (60 – 14 – 126) against one of the strongest blocks in the country. 

Middle blocker Carter Booth was one of the beneficiaries, turning in her third-straight errorless match with eight kills on 16 attempts. After tonight’s performance, Booth will enter Texas swinging .540 (27 – 0 – 50) in her past three matches. 

 

Straight from the Court

Head Coach Kelly Sheffield (on continuing to build confidence down the stretch): “It’s earned through work. Confidence is earned by the work you put in; it’s earned by how you talk to yourself. It’s been something that these guys have worked a lot on, not just having an individual confidence, but a collective confidence.” 
(On the performance of outside hitters Una Vajagic and Mimi Colyer): “These two hitting over .400 against one of the best blocking teams in the country is just a ridiculous number. They got some blocks on us, but we stayed aggressive and we continued to accelerate and hit good shots and know when to be patient.”
Outside Hitter Mimi Colyer (on playing one last time in the Field House): “Coming to Wisconsin has been the best decision I have ever made. This program and this fan base is just so special. Just the love that we have for each other and the love this fan base has for each other is just so special. It’s incredible, there’s nothing like it.”
Outside Hitter Una Vajagic (on building on her first postseason run): “I feel it was great tonight, playing with my team and having their backs all of the time was such a huge thing for me. Just with them behind me, I felt super confident and I’m so excited.” 
 

Notes:

  • With the 3-0 sweep over North Carolina, Wisconsin will advance to the NCAA Regional Semifinals for the 23rd time in program history and 13th-consecutive season under head coach Kelly Sheffield.
  • The victory also moves Wisconsin to 72-29 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, and 21-5 in the Second Round of the tournament.
  • The Badgers had three players with double-figure digs, Kristen Simon (16), Mimi Colyer (13), and Grace Egan (11).
  • Senior Mimi Colyer recorded her eighth double-double of the season and 44th of her career with a 22 kill, 13 dig performance.
  • Right Grace Egan totaled her fourth double-double of the season, eighth of her career with an 11 kill, 11 dig performance.
  • Wisconsin also had three players with double-figure kills, Colyer
  • Wisconsin totaled 56 digs, tying a season-high for most digs in a three-set match.
  • With 57 assists, Wisconsin totaled it’s second-highest assist mark for the season in a three-set match.
  • For the 16th consecutive match, Colyer totaled double-figure kills at 23, and her 11th match with 20 or more kills this season. She also tied Ellen Chapman (2013) in program history for most consecutive matches with double-figure kills.
  • In consecutive nights, senior Carter Booth recorded another error-less match. She tallied eight kills on 16 swings for a .500 hitting percentage.

Up Next: The Badgers will await their next opponent in the Regional Semifinals down in Austin, Texas. The date and time for the match is still to be determined.





Link

Continue Reading

Sports

Kansas Advances to NCAA Sweet 16 with 3-1 Win over Miami

Published

on


LAWRENCE, Kan. – The No. 16 Kansas Jayhawks defeated the Miami Hurricanes, 3-1, the second round of the NCAA Volleyball Tournament inside Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena on Friday to advance to the NCAA Sweet 16. 
Kansas (24-10, 13-5 Big 12) advances to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the fourth time in program history and the first time since 2021. Kansas has gone to the Sweet 16 and beyond in four seasons, including 2021 (Sweet 16), 2015 (NCAA Semifinalist) and 2013 (Sweet 16). The Jayhawks will take on the winner of Nebraska vs. Long Island or Kansas State. 

“They showed up every day and just kept grinding,” said head coach Matt Ulmer. “They never stopped believing in what we were talking about. Our staff has talked a lot about the amazing additions to this group, and I think they complement the returners really well. This is when you want to be playing your best volleyball, and I think that was the best we’ve played. It’s not always going to be pretty against a great team; they’re going to push you and force the issue, but I’m just really, really happy for them. And I really appreciate everyone who was here and everyone who’s been with us to help us get to this point.”

The Jayhawks were led by 15 kills by senior Rhian Swanson, marking her 19th game with 10 more kills this season, while also surpassing 500 career kills. Senior Katie Dalton added 39 assists and set a career-high 7 blocks in the win. 

Both teams traded points early in the opening set as the teams were knotted at 5-5, until Kansas was able to pull ahead first at 8-5 behind three kills from sophomore Reese Ptacek and Swanson. Kansas would rally to five straight points to force Miami’s first timeout at 10-5. 

Midway through the first set, Kansas continued its momentum to take a 15-9 lead behind a kill from junior Aisha Aiono on an assist from Dalton. Miami would draw to within three points at 16-13, before Kansas would rally for three straight points, including a service ace from freshman Selena Leban to give Kansas a 19-13 advantage before a Miami timeout.

Kansas would find its largest lead of the first set at 23-15 and the Jayhawks would capture the first set, 25-17.

Much like the opening set, both teams went back-and-forth to open the second set with both teams knotted at 6-6. The Jayhawks would pull ahead at 8-6 following a block by Ptacek and Dalton, before Miami would rally for three straight points to pull ahead at 9-8. A long rally that ended with an Aiono and Dalton gave Kansas a two point advantage at 11-9.

Miami would bounce back with four straight points to force a Kansas timeout at 13-13. Following the timeout, both teams traded points until Kansas gained a three point lead at 20-17 following a block by Ptacek and Dalton. Leban would bring it to 21-17 with a kill, forcing a Hurricane timeout.

Following the timeout, Miami would rally for four straight points to tie the score at 21-21. Kansas responded with three straight points to take it to set point at 24-21, before Kansas secured the second set at 25-22.

Miami found the early advantage in the third set, jumping out to a 5-2 lead. Kansas pulled the margin to within two at 10-8, before Miami would extend its lead to 13-8, forcing a Jayhawk timeout. Out of the break, Kansas brought the score to within a point at 18-17 following a Swanson kill on an assist from Dalton. 

After Miami took a 22-19 lead, Kansas powered back with back-to-back kills from Leban and Ptacek to force a Miami timeout at 22-21. Miami would bounce back from the timeout and win its first set, 25-22. 

With Kansas leading the match 2-1, Miami jumped out to a 4-1 advantage in set four. Kansas wasted no time marching back, retaking the lead at 6-5 from three straight kills. The Jayhawks carried their momentum to take a 13-9 lead midway through the fourth set on a service ace from Ptacek. Miami would take a timeout following a block from Swanson and Aiono to make the score 14-9.

Miami responded after the break by tying the score at 17 all to force a Kansas timeout. Both teams traded the next two points, before Kansas pulled ahead at 20-18 on a service ace from Leban. Both teams battled back-and-forth with Kansas leading at 23-21, before Miami got two straight points to tie the fourth set at 23-23. Knotted at 25-25, Kansas regained the lead at 26-25 following an attack error by the Hurricanes. Kansas secured the win at 27-25 with a kill by Leban on the assist from Dalton.

Up Next

Kansas will advance to the NCAA Sweet 16 and will take on the winner of Nebraska vs. Kansas State.



Link

Continue Reading

Sports

Panther volleyball falls to No. 11 Creighton in NCAA Tournament

Published

on


OMAHA, Neb. — The UNI volleyball team’s historic 2025 season came to an end on Friday night as the Panthers fell to No. 11 and third-seeded Creighton in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in four sets at D.J. Sokol Arena.

In a non-conference rematch from September’s Bluejay Invitational, Northern Iowa was able to split the first two sets with Creighton, but came up short in two hotly contested final frame, finishing the season with a 25-6 record, as well as both the Missouri Valley Conference’s (MVC) regular season and tournament titles.

 

HOW IT HAPPENED

UNI put together a competitive start to the match splitting the first 12 points of the match. The Bluejays would build their lead from there, slicing through the Panther backrow defense on .441 hitting 17 kills. Cassidy Hartman and Lily Dykstra each notched five terminations for Northern Iowa in the frame with the Panthers hitting .231 with 15 kills as a team, dropping the first set by a score of 25-18.

The Panthers responded with a gritty showing in the second stanza, grabbing an early 5-1 lead thanks to a service ace from Dykstra. Creighton would chip away at UNI’s lead with the Panthers narrowly maintaining a one-point lead in a hotly contested back-and-forth set before the Bluejays tied the frame up at 20 and 21. Northern Iowa would finish strong however and hold on for a 25-23 win to even the match at one set a piece, with Dykstra notching eight kills and Hartman six terminations with the Panthers hitting .325 as a team.

Both UNI and Creighton swamped points early in the third set before the Panthers pulled ahead with a 10-6 lead, as well as 14-8 using a 4-0 run. The Bluejays would storm back attacking off of the Northern Iowa blocking defense for a 16-15 advantage, but the Panthers would show fight, taking a 20-18 lead on a block assist from Dykstra and Maryn Bixby. Creighton would prevail late however, scoring six of the final seven points for a 25-22 win and a two sets to one lead, despite a strong four kill set by Isabelle Elliott for the Panthers.

Creighton set an early tone in the fourth frame with a 3-0 run to open as UNI struggled to get into a rhythm offensively. The Panthers would begin to climb back with a 6-0 run to pull within one point at 18-17, but the Bluejays would close strong for a 25-21 victory to seal the match in four frames, with Hartman tallying seven kills in the final set

Hartman finished the night with a team-high 20 kills and 13 digs, with Dykstra tallying 15 terminations and seven digs. Elliott notched ten kills as Bixby posted seven terminations and four kills by Lindsay Oldendorf. Reese Booth finished with 22 assists and 16 digs, while Sydney Golden posted 20 assists and nine digs and Jadyn Petersen 14 digs.

“We put ourselves in a position to win and have a chance tonight and they left their heart and soul out there,” said head coach Bobbi Petersen. “One of the things that you wish for coaching is when you step out on the court for the last match of the season that you’re playing your best volleyball and I feel we get to say that tonight. The day we stepped on the court in January to now the amount of growth and the amount of intentional effort that has gone into this team has been incredible.”

 

ADDITIONAL NOTES

  • UNI falls to 42-18 all-time against Creighton with the Bluejays winning their ninth straight match in the series. Northern Iowa is also now 0-2 against Creighton in the NCAA Tournament, the last meeting coming in the first round in 2016.
  • The Panthers are now 18-27 all-time in NCAA Tournament matches following Friday’s loss.
  • Northern Iowa’s loss snaps its 22-match winning streak, the eighth-longest streak in program history. UNI last loss prior to Friday night came against Creighton in September in the Bluejay Invitational
  • Cassidy Hartman notched her fifth match of the season with 20+ kills, as well as her 27th match this year with ten or more terminations and her 15th double-double of 2025.
  • Lily Dykstra posted her 19th match this year with double-digit kills.
  • Reese Booth recorded her tenth double-double of the season on Friday.

 

UNI volleyball action can be followed all season long on social media on Facebook (UNI Volleyball), X (@UNIVolleyball) and on Instagram (@univolleyball). The full 2025 schedule and roster, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.





Link

Continue Reading

Sports

Pitt volleyball sets the tone early, sweeping UMBC to launch its NCAA tournament push

Published

on






Link

Continue Reading

Sports

#11 Volleyball Heads to Regional Semi’s After Beating UNI

Published

on


OMAHA, Neb. — Tenth-seeded and 11th-ranked Creighton Volleyball is headed back to the Regional Semifinals for the third straight season, and fifth time overall, after a hard-fought 3-1 win over former Missouri Valley Conference rival Northern Iowa on Friday, Dec. 5th. Scores of the CU victory were 25-18, 23-25, 25-22, 25-21.

Creighton never trailed in the first set, turning an 8-7 lead into a 13-8 advantage. CU continued to pull away, taking an 18-11 lead as Abbey Hayes provided an early boost with four kills.  CU poured it on, taking the first set 25-18 on Hayes’ fifth kill. Creighton hit .441 en route to winning the first set for its 22nd straight match. BIG EAST Setter of the Year Annalea Maeder dished a dozen assists and added four digs, two kills and added a block.

UNI didn’t waste any time fighting back, taking a 9-4 lead to open the second set. Creighton’s slow comeback was aided by five UNI serving errors in the set. CU drew within one point on eight occasions before finally tying the score on an ace by Hayes to make it 20-20. CU also tied it at 21-all, but both times sent their next serve into the net as UNI regained the lead. The Panthers went up 23-21 and 24-22 on Cassidy Hartman’s 10th and 11th kills, and won  it 25-23 after Lily Dykstra’s kill withstood a CU challenge to even the match. Dykstra had eight kills and Hartman six in the second frame to pace a Panther attack that had 18 kills in 40 swings. 

The third set featured the first lead change of the match when UNI took a 4-3 lead, part of a 12-5 run that saw CU call both of its timeouts and the Panthers take a 14-8 lead. CU used the right arm of All-American Ava Martin to take a 16-15 lead after four straight kills from the BIG EAST Player of the Year. The set would feature nine ties and four lead changes before CU ultimately prevailed, 25-22. Back-to-back blocks by Eloise Brandewie and Jaya Johnson gave CU a 24-21 lead and a Panther service error handed the Jays a 2-1 lead.

The fourth set saw Creighton race out to an early 3-0 lead and did not release it, taking the match 25-21. While Creighton did not trail in the decisive fourth stanza, Northern Iowa pulled even and 5-5 with four of five points. Holding an 11-9 edge, the Bluejays seemed to take complete control with six straight points by forcing the Panthers into four attack errors during the run. Down 17-9 UNI responded with eight of the next nine points to make it a one-point contest at 18-17. Moments later the Bluejays put things away with four straight points, courtesy of consecutive blocks, an ace from Nora Wurtz and a kill from Martin.

Four Bluejays closed the match with double-digit kills, led by 16 from Martin. Joining the double-digit party were Hayes (12), Johnson (11) and Kiara Reinhardt (10). Maeder guided the Creighton offense with 47 assists and 14 digs, while Sydney Breissinger owned a match-best 19 digs and also served up a pair of aces. CU had 55 kills, 66 digs, 13 blocks and five aces on .265 hitting.

Northern Iowa got a match-high 21 kills from Hartman, to go along with 15 kills from Dykstra and 10 from Isabelle Elliott. The guiding force for the Panthers brought a familiar name back to D.J. Sokol Arena as Reese Booth (the daughter of former Bluejay head coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth) finished with a double-double of 22 assists and 16 digs. UNI had 62 kills, 70 digs, five blocks and three aces on .241 hitting. The unbeaten regular-season and tournament champion out of the Missouri Valley Conference, Northern Iowa finishes its season with a 26-6 record.

With the win, Creighton will play Arizona State in the Regional Semifinal. A date, time, location and broadcast plans will be announced later this weekend.

NOTES: Creighton has played Northern Iowa more times (60) than any other foe … Kiara Reinhardt set the D.J. Sokol Arena career blocks record with her 250th career rejection late in the first set … Reinhardt also extended her career records by making her 65th start and playing in her 69th career match at D.J. Sokol Arena … Ava Martin set the D.J. Sokol Arena career record for kills with her 781, passing Jaali Winters’ 779. … After winning just four of the first 43 meetings, Creighton has beaten Northern Iowa nine straight meetings and 15 of the last 17 encounters … CU’s 15 wins vs. UNI since 2012 are four more than any other school … Creighton is 12-1 all-time when ranked and facing UNI … CU has won 69 straight matches against unranked teams and 57 straight non-televised contests … Creighton improved to 19-14 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, and 5-7 in the Second Round … Creighton has won 27 or more matches each of the last five years, and nine times in program history … Creighton has won 22 straight matches and snapped UNI’s 22-match win streak, which started after its Sept. 14 loss to CU in Omaha … The late ace in the fourth set for Nora Wurtz gave her 36 this season in D.J. Sokol Arena, a mark that is the single season record … Martin closed the match with a season-high 14 digs, her fourth double-double of the season.



Link

Continue Reading

Most Viewed Posts

Trending