Upper Iowa and Minnesota State University Moorhead came into their match today with identical records for the season so it was no suprise that the match went the distance in Dorman Gym. The Peacocks outlasted the Dragons in the fifth set posting a 15-10 win in the deciding set. With the win, UIU split the season series with the MSUM and improved to 11-14 overall and 6-11 in the NSIC.
Jennifer Mundt led the Peacock offense with 22 kills to push her career total to 1,001. She is the first junior and fourth overall player at Upper Iowa to reach the milestone joining Shea Meyerman, Sara Vance and Nicky Brown in the exclusive club. Mundt now has 381 kills this season and will shoot for the UIU season-record of 397 (Melanie Behnke, 2012) in the final three matches.
Three other Peacocks joined Mundt in double figure kills including
Alisha VanderWoude (14),
Tyann Caspers (11) and
Hailey Brown (11). Pacing the attack was
Jenna Hermsen and Brown as each setter handed out 30 assists in the match.
Amanda Weiss spearheaded the back row defense with 28 digs, while Mundt added 15 and Hermsen chipped in 12.
Haylie Franklin came up with 7 blocks at the net, while Mundt added 5 stops.
Kaitlin VanWinkle led the Dragons with 18 kills. The Dragons won sets two and four with hitting percentages of .256 and .244, respectively. MSUM's offense was held in check in the other three sets posting percentages of .091, .159 and .000.
Upper Iowa trailed 6-4 early in the deciding set, but the Peacocks rallied to score four straight points off
Taylor Williams' serve. After the teams switched ends, the Dragons rattled off three straight points to retake the lead, 9-8. After 18 kills through the first four sets, Mundt had been held off the board in the final set to that point, but Brown found Mundt on four attack opportunities for kills as the home team went on a 7-1 run to close the set and match.
The Peacocks will return to Prochaska Court on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. to take on the Wolves of Northern State University on Senior Day in Fayette. Upper Iowa will recognize their five seniors prior to the match.
