Upper Iowa volleyball lost a thriller at Winona State University on Tuesday night. In a matchup of AVCA Top 25 teams, the fans in Winona, Minn. got their money's worth as the match went five sets and the teams were separated by one point on the night when combining all set scores. The No. 15 Warriors (17-7, 11-5 NSIC) held off the No. 25 Peacocks (18-7, 9-7 NSIC) in the match to hold on to fifth place in the NSIC, while UIU remains in sixth after results around the league.
Upper Iowa dominated the opening set 25-14 behind a blistering .412 hitting percentage. The Peacocks converted 15 kills with only one attack error. The home team answered with an equally dominant second set posting a 25-17 win behind 19 kills and a .350 percentage. After the two one-sided sets, the two teams settled in and battled back and forth.
A very close third set was tied at 22-22, when the Warriors scored three of the final four points thanks to a pair of kills around a big block to secure a 25-23 win.
Trailing 2-1, the Peacocks continued to fight in the fourth set. Winona State claimed the first set point, 24-23, but a Haley Poula kill tied the match. After two more set points, Anna Winter tied the match again at 26-26 with a kill. WSU got their fourth set point of the frame, but for the second time recorded a service ace to bring UIU back into a tie. The visitors scored the final two points and won the set 29-27 on another kill from Poula.
The fifth set was just like the third and fourth with both team fighting and clawing for every point. The score was tied at 7, 9, 10 and 11 with the last tie coming after a Poula kill. A pair of attack errors for the Peacocks gave the Warriors a 13-11 lead and UIU couldn't recover. Haley Weepie knocked a ball down to pull the team within one, 13-12. Winona State got the set and match win with two kills from Maira Wrage and Kate Masberg.
Winter and Weepie led the offense with 16 and 15 kills, respectively, while Lauren Wombles had 9 kills and Poula had 8. Malissa LeClaire was busy handing out 48 assists and Ashley Larson was outstanding on the back line with 36 digs. Bethany Lovhaug led UIU's effort at the net with 8 blocks.
The Peacocks will host the University of Mary and Minot State University this Friday and Saturday, Nov. 3-4, in Dorman Gym.
