The UNI volleyball team will be in the unusual role of underdog when they open the Missouri Valley Conference tournament on Friday in Springfield, Missouri. Southwest Missouri State was the regular season champion, snapping the Panthers five-year run at the top.Panther coach Bobbi Peterson says it’s a different feeling, but she doesn’t mind as the team has responded well in the past as the underdog. UNI was denied a share of the title with a late season upset loss at Illinois State.UNI is the second seed in the tournament.