The No. 19 Peacock volleyball team and the No. 7 St. Cloud State University Huskies both made their first appearance in an NSIC semifinal match on Saturday evening when the teams hit the hardwood at the Sanford Pentagon. For the third time this season, the two squads battled back-and-forth with everything they had in a match that came down to the final moments of the decisive fifth set. And for the third time this season, the Huskies were able to outlast the Peacocks for the win.
St. Cloud State (25-5) took the first two sets by final scores of 27-25 and 25-17 before Upper Iowa (21-9) rallied back with a pair of 25-22 victories to force the fifth set. The Huskies then ended Upper Iowa's run at the NSIC Championships with a 15-10 win in the final frame. With the win, fourth-seeded SCSU advances to the championships where the Huskies will face No. 8 Concordia University, St. Paul in a 3 p.m. finale.
HOW IT HAPPENED…
- St. Cloud State broke a 3-all draw in the first set with four straight points to take an early 7-3. The Peacocks responded with three unanswered of their own before the rest of the set was a back-and-forth affair where neither team could pull away by more than two. Two kills from Kaitlin Niedert gave the Peacocks a 24-23 lead late, but the Huskies evened it at 24-24 with a kill of their own. Another set point was created in favor of Upper Iowa with a SCSU attack error, but the Huskies used a pair of blocks and a kill to take the close first set 27-25.
- The beginning of the second set was much like the first where neither team was willing to bend. The Husky offense then picked up the pace to create separation and cruise to a 25-17 set victory.
- Needing a win to stay alive in the match, the Peacocks came together to rally to a 13-8 lead midway through the third. Upper Iowa continued to maintain the advantage until SCSU tied up the match at 20-all with three straight points. Kills by Maggie Streightiff and Niedert around a Gabby Holmes ace gave UIU a 23-20 lead before the Peacocks picked up a 25-22 win capped off by a big block from Claire Milnes and Carlee Ketchum.
- Much like the fourth set just one night ago, Upper Iowa got out to a 8-2 lead in the fourth only to see the advantage swiped with a 6-0 spurt by the opponent. The set continued on with back-and-forth scoring before a huge 10-1 run by the Peacocks put UIU ahead 23-15. The Huskies ended up fighting off four set-points as they clawed their way back into it, but Upper Iowa finally was able to even the match at 2-2 with another Niedert winner.
- Missed serves in the fifth set were a once again a problem for the Peacocks as St. Cloud State took a quick 4-2 lead thanks to a pair of miscues. The Huskies then extended their lead to 12-6 fueled by two 3-0 streaks. Upper Iowa made one last push with a 4-1 run but the comeback fell short as back-to-back kills from Linsey Rachel sealed the win.
PEACOCKS OF THE GAME...
