The No. 25 Peacocks swept the Marauders of the University of Mary at home on Friday night to improve to 19-7 overall and 10-7 in the high-powered Northern Sun Conference. Upper Iowa only racked up a small advantage in total kills, but the home team's attack was more effecient on the night as the home squad hit .322 while holding their guests to a .198 percentage. UMary falls to 8-18 overall and 4-13 in the conference after the loss.
 
Anna Winter led the Peacock offense with 13 kills, while Haley Weepie added 10 and Haley Poula scored 9 on her right hand. Malissa LeClaire handed out 33 assists and the junior setter added 3 aces and 7 digs. UIU posted a 9-4 advantage in team blocks led by Bethany Lovhaug's 7 stops and Poula's 5 blocks. Ashley Larson and Weepie got their hands on 9 digs apiece to pace the defensive back line.
 
Upper Iowa knocked down 12 kills in each of the first two sets, but the squad began to convert at a high percentage during the second set. The home team hit .320 in the second set with 4 attack errors on 25 swings, but then focused in to record 16 kills and only 1 error on 28 swings to hit .536.
 
After the results across the Northern Sun Conference on Friday, the Peacocks are locked in a three-way tie for sixth place with No. 22 Wayne State College and No. 16 Augustana with a two-match lead over a pair of teams tied for ninth place. The top eight teams at the end of the regular season, which comes next weekend, gain entry into the best conference tournament in all of NCAA Division II.
 
UIU will return to Prochaska Court on Saturday at 4 p.m. to line up against the Beavers of Minot State University. The Peacocks will recognize their two seniors prior to the match.