Upper Iowa wrapped up their run at the Hampton Inn Invitational with a pair of non-conference wins in Kenosha, Wis. The Peacocks improved to 6-1 after posting the only undefeated record among the teams at the tournament. On day two, UIU opened with a 3-1 victory over McKendree University and then controlled their final match to the tune of a 3-0 win over the University of Illinois Springfield.
 
With the win over the Bearcats to start the day, Head Coach Aaron Nelson secured his 200^th career victory including 163, now 164, wins in Peacock blue and white.
 
The Peacocks bested the Bearcats in the first match of the day in four sets. UIU hit .200 in the match thanks to efficient hitting in the first (.423) and third (.306) sets. The team tallied 45 kills led by Zoe Semelroth's 17 daggers. Semelroth hit .394 on her 33 swings in the match.
 
Madelyn Rettler (10) and Sarah Johnson (6) combined for 16 kills, while Nicole Pozorski handed out 39 assists. Offensively, eight different Peacocks recorded at least two kills in the match.
 
Kaci Beesecker paced the backline defense with 20 digs and Sarah Stevelinck (12), Rettler (11) and Pozorski (10) combined for 33 as well. Semelroth (5) and Rettler (3) played well at the net to lead UIU's blocking effort.
 
In the final win of the weekend, Upper Iowa dominated the Prairie Stars in straight sets by scores of 25-18, 26-24 and 25-14 behind 39 kills, 8 service aces and 12 team blocks.
 
Kylee Oldenburger led the offense with 10 kills, while Semelroth added eight and Rettler put down seven. The UIU attack ran through the hands of Pozorski, who dished up 33 assists.
 
Defensively, Beesecker (21), Oldenburger (19) and Rettler (15) combined for 55 digs, while Johnson and Semelroth each notched six blocks and Pozorski got in on five stops.
 
For the weekend, Upper Iowa's offense hit .222 with an average of 13 kills per set. Semelroth registered 40 kills, while Rettler added 28. Pozorski averaged 10.91 assists per set with a total of 120 in the three matches. Beesecker led the defense with 59 digs and a 5.36 per set average. Semelroth (13) and Johnson (12) played well at the net as each player averaged more than one block per set.
 
The Peacocks will now move into Northern Sun Conference play for the remainder of their schedule. Upper Iowa will head west on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 9-10. UIU will challenge the University of Sioux Falls in Sioux Falls, S.D. and then line up against Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, Minn.