The Peacock volleyball team had their three-game winning streak snapped at home on Friday night when the Wolves of Northern State University won a Northern Sun Conference match 3-0 in Dorman Memorial Gymnasium. After the three-set decision, Upper Iowa fell to 9-5 overall and 3-4 in the NSIC, while Northern State improved to 9-6 overall and 4-3 in conference matches.
 
Northern State averaged 15 kills per set and hit .284 in the match thanks to just 12 attack errors on their attempts. The Wolves offense was led by three players with double digit kills; Hanna Thompson (15), Sally Gaul (11), and Taylor Buckley (11). NSU's attack ran through Keri Walker, who handed out 42 assists.
 
UIU averaged 12 kills per set, but hit .163 with 16 attack errors. Madelyn Rettler posted 10 kills to lead Upper Iowa, while Maggie Streightiff and Zoe Semelroth added eight apiece. Nicole Pozorski dished out 28 assists to eight different hitters.
 
In the first set, NSU used a 5-0 run midway through to build a 12-7 lead, but UIU was able to rally and cut the gap to one, 16-15, after doubling up their guest's scoring behind a pair of blocks from Streightiff and Semelroth. Later in the frame, the home team found themselves behind 22-20, but the Wolves scored three of the final four points to win 25-21.
 
After falling behind early in the second set, Upper Iowa rallied to take a lead and then force a tie at 13-all. The Wolves controlled the remainder of the frame outscoring the Peacocks 12-5 with nine points coming on NSU kills.
 
UIU took control of the third set early, and even after the Wolves rallied to knot the score at 13-all, the Peacocks were able to use a 6-3 outburst to take a 19-16 lead fueled by three kills off the hands of Semelroth, Rettler and Kylie Willis. The Wolves erupted after a timeout and scored nine of the final ten points to secure the match with a 25-20 win.
 
Upper Iowa will be back on Prochaska Court on Saturday, Oct. 1. The Peacocks will line up against the Dragons of Minnesota State University Moorhead at 2 p.m.