Upper Iowa pushed their second match of the weekend to the limit. This time the opponent was No. 3 Wayne State College. The nationally-ranked Wildcats and Peacocks went back and forth exchanging set victories to force a fifth set. UIU held an 11-9 lead in the winner-take-all frame, but the Wildcats closed out the set and earned the win scoring six of the final seven points.
 
Wayne took their the first, third and fifth sets by scores of 25-17, 25-11 and 15-12, while Upper Iowa grabbed wins in sets two and four by counts of 25-18 and 25-23. After the dust settled, Wayne State improved to 27-1 overall and 17-1 in the NSIC, while Upper Iowa falls to 14-11 overall and 8-10 in the conference.
 
The Peacocks played well in sets two and four knocking down a total of 32 kills and committing just 10 attack errors in the two frames combined. In the second set, the visitors hit .325. In the fifth set, UIU outhit WSC 9 to 7 in kills and .231 to .174 in hitting percentage, but three service errors by the Peacocks and a service ace from the Wildcats provided the push for the home team.
 
Zoe Semelroth had a big night in the middle for the Peacocks. The Tripoli, Iowa product hit .424 and put down 17 kills on just 33 swings and added four blocks as well. Maggie Streightiff and Emily Kono each tallied 11 kills, while Sarah Johnson hit .643 from the middle and registered nine kills with three blocks.
 
Nicole Pozorski recorded 47 assists, six kills and 16 digs in her five sets, while Kaci Beesecker got to 21 digs and Madelyn Rettler and Lydia Imbrogno each picked up 14 digs and Streightiff added 13.
 
Upper Iowa will close out the regular season at home next Friday and Saturday, Nov. 4 and 5. The Peacocks will face Southwest Minnesota State University on Friday at 6 p.m. for Senior Night and then welcome the University of Sioux Falls to Dorman Memorial Gymnasium on Saturday at 5 p.m. UIU will honor seven seniors around Friday's match.