Nov. 6, 2009

Box Score

The Upper Iowa volleyball team opened their final home weekend of the season with a straight set victory over the Marauders of the University of Mary in Fayette on Friday night. The Peacocks are back to .500 with four matches to play and while that may be average to an outsider... UIU fans know that this team is in uncharted water.

The Peacocks surpassed the record for wins in a season a month ago and haven't stopped yet. Upper Iowa know has a 15-15 record overall and a 6-10 mark in Northern Sun Conference matches. Just two years ago the team registered an 0-18 mark in conference play and that was before the conference expanded and became the premier NCAA Division II conference for volleyball. The NSIC boasts five of the top sixteen schools in the national rankings.

The Peacocks won the match thanks to set wins by the following scores: 25-17, 25-21, 25-12. Upper Iowa hit .309 as a team, while holding U-Mary to just .078 hitting. The Peacocks hit a salty .379 in set one and topped it in set three with a .393 percentage. The Peacocks converted 39 kills and only made 10 attacking errors, while the Marauders killed 29 balls, but handed the home team 20 points on attacking errors.

Upper Iowa used a balanced scoring attack paced by senior Keri Vance. The setter from Tampa, Florida handed out 30 assists on the night. Nicky Brown led the Peacock hitters as she accounted for 12 kills, while Sara Vance knocked home 9 kills and Maryn Fulton recorded 7. UIU's defense was solid thanks to Brown's 10 digs, as well as Keri Vance and Danielle Gernes' 9 digs apiece. In total nine Peacocks registered a dig as the team totaled 51 for the match.

Tomorrow afternoon, Upper Iowa will host the Wolves of Northern State University in the team's final home match in Dorman Gym for the season. The match is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. The Peacocks will honor their seniors, Shea Meyermann and Keri Vance, prior to the match.