The Peacock volleyball team cracked open the 2015 Northern Sun Conference season Thursday night against the #3 Golden Bears of Concordia University, St. Paul.  The NSIC preseason favorite took the match in three sets improving to 6-2 on the season.  Upper Iowa fell to 6-4, but showed resilience in the third set falling by just two points.
 
The Golden Bears, who won seven straight NCAA Division II National Championships, won the first two sets by counts of 25-14 and 25-18 combining for 30 kills, while holding the Peacocks to just 15 kills. 
 
In the third set, UIU refocused and knocked down 14 kills.  An early service ace by Malissa LeClaire pushed the Peacock lead to 6-2.  After the home team rallied, Upper Iowa reestablished their four-point advantage, 14-10, thanks to three straight kills by Jennifer Mundt, Miranda LeJeune and Sarah Frisch.  The Golden Bears bounced back and the teams exchanged points as the set came to a close.  UIU tied the match at 22-22, but the home team closed out the set with three points on the last four serves to claim the frame and match.
 
Mundt climbed into second place all-time in kills at Upper Iowa with her 11 against the Golden Bears.  She now has 1,215 kills in her four seasons passing Sara Vance (1,208).  Mundt is now just 90 kills shy of the all-time mark held by Shea Meyerman (1,305). 
 
Jenna Hermsen (12 assists) and LeClaire (11 assists) split the duties at setter, while Taylor Williams dug up 13 balls and Hermsen got her hands on 8 defensively.
 
The Peacocks will be back in Dorman Gymnasium on Saturday at 3 p.m. ready to take on the Mavericks of Minnesota State University, Mankato.