The Peacock volleyball team (4-0) swept their four games at the Ferris State Invitational on Saturday with a pair of 3-0 wins over Northern Michigan University and Davenport University (Mich.). Upper Iowa, like they did on Friday, played well defensively, averaging nearly 20 digs per set again, and forced 38 errors by their opponents in six sets. UIU starts their season 4-0 for the first time since 2012.

Upper Iowa 3 - Northern Michigan 0
In the team's opening match on Saturday, UIU got off to a good start in the opening set against the Northern Michigan Wildcats. The Peacocks hit .209 on 13 kills to four errors, while NMU registered seven attack errors and hit .116. Upper Iowa took the opening set 25-16 and set the tone for the day.

The Peacocks tallied double-digit kills in all three sets, including a 12 and 14-kill total in the second and third sets of the match. The UIU defense was the story, holding the Wildcats to an .098 hitting percentage, and a total of 22 attack errors. Despite only hitting .189 as a team, Upper Iowa was able to win the match by nine points with their stifling defense, 25-16, 25-17, and 25-20.

Haley Poula and Bethany Lovhaug each notched 10 kills in the first match, while Anna Winter added 7 and Lauren Wombles tallied 6. Malissa LeClaire had another big day, handing out 27 total assists. Ashley Larson totaled 14 digs with LeClaire adding 12 on the backline for UIU.

UIU 3 - Davenport (Mich.) 0
The Peacocks finished their outstanding tournament with another sweep, this time against the Davenport University Panthers. The first set was a battle, with neither team giving in until their were 58 points on the scoreboard. Upper Iowa held on, 30-28, after a Panther attack error and a Winter kill. UIU hit just .145 in the opening set, and despite allowing a .235 hitting percentage to Davenport, were able to find a way to claim the opener.

UIU improved their offensive percentage to .256 in the second set, but the Panthers were just as good offensively, hitting .273. The two teams combined for a total of just seven attack errors, and DU held a 16-14 advantage in kills. Leading 19-18, the Peacocks went on a big 4-0 run to open the lead to 23-18 after a pair of kills by Haley Weepie and Wombles and a pair of errors by Davenport. UIU closed out the set, 25-20, and gave themselves a chance at a clean sweep for the day.

Upper Iowa's best defensive performance in the second match came in the final set, holding the panthers to a .194 hitting percentage with six attack errors, their highest of any set in the match. The Peacocks tallied 17 kills and hit .273 on 44 swings in the final set, and opened up a 20-12 lead to gain a big advantage. UIU held on for a 25-19 win to sweep the match and the day.

Weepie led the Peacocks on offense with 16 kills, while Winter added 13 and Wombles tallied 7. LeClaire handed out a remarkable 41 assists, while three Peacocks manned the backline with Larson (13 digs), Gabby Holmes (11), and LeClaire (10).

Upper Iowa is back in action next Thursday at Missouri S&T for a 6 p.m. match with the Miners. The team will stay in Rolla, Mo. for the Missouri S&T Middle of Everywhere Classic on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 8-9.