LIVE OPTIONS:
Live Stats vs St. Cloud State || Live Stats vs #9 Minnesota Duluth || Live Webcast for both matches
THIS WEEKEND IN PEACOCK VOLLEYBALL… Upper Iowa looks to extend their current run of six wins in the last eight matches with a pair of road contests this weekend. The Peacocks will take on the Huskies of St. Cloud State University on Friday in St. Cloud, Minn. and the #9 Bulldogs of the University of Minnesota Duluth on Saturday in Duluth, Minn. UIU (13-10, 7-7 NSIC) has used their run over the last four weeks to climb the standing to ninth place in the powerful Northern Sun. The Peacocks are currently one game behind a tie for seventh place between #24 Winona State and Minnesota State in the standings. The match with the Huskies will be the second meeting of the season for the teams; UIU defeated St. Cloud State 3-2 during the Peacock Invitational at the beginning of September. Upper Iowa and Minnesota Duluth have not met this season.
FINAL PUSH FOR POSTSEASON... The NCAA Regional Tournament only has room for the top 8 teams across three different conferences; there will definitely be some heartbroken teams when the selection committee reveals the chosen few. The Northern Sun continues to prove its power in NCAA Division II. The conference currently has seven teams in the AVCA's Top 25 Poll and one more receiving votes. Included in the AVCA's NCAA Division II Top-25 is
#2 Northern State, #3 Concordia St. Paul, #4 Southwest Minnesota State, #6 Wayne State College,
#9 Minnesota Duluth, #20 Augustana University, #24 Winona State University and Minnesota State University, Mankato is receiving votes. UIU posted an upset of #25 (then #22) Winona State for their first win of the 2015 NSIC campaign.
LAST SIX IN 2015 REGULAR SEASON... Looking ahead the Peacocks face four nationally-ranked teams in their final six matches including #9 Minnesota Duluth this Saturday, #4 Southwest Minnesota State next Saturday and then will close out the regular season at home versus #6 Wayne State and #20 Augustana.
PUTTING IT DOWN… Jennifer Mundt, a senior hitter, has put down 350 kills (13th NCAA DII) this season averaging 4.27 per set (12th NCAA DII) to rank second in the NSIC in both categories. With six matches to play, the Utica, Minn. native is on track to challenge the record 439 kills she recorded last season. Over her four-year career, Mundt has earned 1,409 kills and every hammer she throws down pushes the UIU career kill mark farther away from the hitters that came before her.
DROP IT LOW… Taylor Williams, a senior libero, is third in the Northern Sun in total digs with 391 and is sixth in the conference in digs/set with 4.71. Her play on defense over the last few weeks has driven the team's success to stay in system and give the setters,
Jenna Hermsen and
Malissa LeClaire, plenty of options.
LEADERS: | Upper Iowa | St. Cloud State | #9 Minnesota Duluth |
| Kills | Jennifer Mundt - 350 | Rachel Burke - 190 | Mariah Scharf - 355 |
| Assists | Jenna Hermsen - 516 | Allison Butler - 572 | Ashley Hinsch - 1,030 |
| Blocks | Lauren Wombles - .36 | Kellan Flynn - .82 | Monica Turner - .96 |
| Digs | Taylor Williams - 391 | Brianne Stamer - 418 | Erin Schindler - 296 |
| Aces | Ashley Larson - 17 | Allison Butler - 20 | Ashley Hinsch - 15 |
