KIRKSVILLE, Mo. - The Upper Iowa volleyball team (0-10) fell to William Jewell (Mo.) (1-10) and Rockhurst (Mo.) (7-4) at the Truman State (Mo.) Invitational on Saturday afternoon. The Peacocks won the opening set of the day against the Cardinals. 

Graduate Martha Pace led the attack for the Peacocks on the day with 28 kills (4.0 per set). She had a career-high 16 kills against William Jewell. Pace also added 26 digs, the second most on the team, and had four service aces to lead UIU on the day. 

Lydia Imbrogno totaled 20 kills (4.0 per set) and a team-best .321 attack percentage. Kailey Porter had 12 kills and Alexis Moses tallied 11 kills. 

Sophomore Grace Fruzen led the team in assists with 59 (8.43 per set). Morgan Block added 39 digs (5.57 per set) with two service aces. Carley Jonker totaled 26 digs while Madi Hartman and Fruzen both added 15 digs each.

The Peacocks return to Fayette for their home opener on Friday, Sept. 26, against Missouri S&T (2-9) in Dorman Memorial Gymnasium at 6 p.m.  Upper Iowa then faces Maryville (Mo.) (4-6) at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 27 to wrap up the Peacocks in Paradise Homecoming weekend. 

William Jewell 3, Upper Iowa 1
After being down 10-6 early in the first set, UIU went on a 5-0 run to take its first lead, featuring three Cardinal errors and two service aces by Block. Trailing 23-22 later in the set, the Peacocks scored the final three points to win it via a Porter kill, a Jonker service ace and a Pace kill. 

The Peacocks trailed 16-7 in the second set, but came all the way back to tie it at 20-20 after a 5-0 run. The Cardinals called a timeout and scored the next four points to help win the match, 25-22. 

The Cardinals jumped on Upper Iowa in the third set, 8-2, and then scored six points in a row to end it, 25-11. William Jewell then scored the first five points in the fourth set and got out to an early 12-4 lead. The Peacocks battled all the way back to trail, 23-22, but the Cardinals pulled away 25-23. 

Pace led the way with a career-high 16 kills while also picking up 14 digs. Imbrogno added eight kills while Moses had six. Fruzen added 25 assists, while Jaeden Cook had 12 assists. Block had 18 digs and Jonker had 14 digs. 

Rockhurst 3, Upper Iowa 0
The Peacocks fell in straight sets 25-21, 25-23 and 25-19. Upper Iowa led 15-10 in the second set for its largest lead of the day. This was halted by the Rockhurst scoring 10 of the next 13 points. Upper Iowa had an early 2-0 lead in the third set, but a Hawk 6-0 run halted that momentum and helped them control the final frame of play. 

Pace and Imbrogno both led the Peacocks with 12 kills each. Fruzen totaled 34 assists, which marked a career-high for the sophomore. Block had 21 digs while Pace and Jonker each had 12. 

Rockhurst outhit Upper Iowa .257-.152 and outkilled the Peacocks 45-42. The Hawks had seven blocks compared to four for the Peacocks. RU also totaled six aces compared to four for UIU.