Upper Iowa University Athletics

JACKSON, Tenn. - Peacock women's volleyball (1-1) won its first opener since 2023 with a four-set (25-16, 25-11, 22-25, 25-14) win over Lane College (Tenn.) (0-2). The team then battled, but couldn't overcome miscues both ways at the service line in a five-set loss (25-21, 23-25, 20-25, 25-21, 14-16) to Tusculum (Tenn.) (1-1) to end the night. 

Kailey Porter started her senior campaign strong, posting 24 kills on the day with a .475 hitting percentage. She accumulated 16 kills in the match against Tusculum while adding a .556 hitting percentage, posting her best mark since her freshman season.

Freshman Natalie Bystol had a solid day with 19 kills and 16 digs in her debut. Alexis Moses and Marissa Becker each posted 17 kills. Abby Buchanan-Kenzinger led UIU in kills against Lane with 10, a career-high mark for the graduate. 

Junior setter Grace Fruzen picked up where she left off last season, totaling 79 assists (8.78/set) on the day. She also added 26 digs on defense. Morgan Block led UIU in digs with 29 (5.80/set), only playing in game two against Tusculum. Junior Avery Agnew totaled 27 digs after playing all nine sets.

The Peacocks have a quick turnaround before returning to Fred DeLay Gymnasium at 9 a.m. on Saturday to face Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) (1-0). UIU wraps up the Union University (1-0) Volleyball Classic by playing the host team at 1 p.m.

Upper Iowa 3, Lane College 1
Five players recorded eight or more kills to help UIU outkill the Dragons, 50-27. The Peacocks hit .218 in the match, with a .444 mark in set two and a .314 in set four. UIU ended the match with four straight points off a kill by Caylee Rowley, two kills by Gracen Klima and a service ace by Bystol.

Upper Iowa totaled 14 aces, with Fruzen, Rowley and Vaughn all recording three each. Fruzen tallied 28 assists and Rowley had 12. Agnew led the team in digs with 19.

Buchanan-Kenzinger posted a career-high 10 kills to go along with two digs and an assist. Bystol tallied nine kills and 10 digs in her debut. Moses, Klima and Porter each tallied eight kills. 

UIU's defense held Lane to a .066 hitting percentage, and the Peacocks totaled 58 digs to the Dragons' 37. Breslyn Dilworth led Lane in kills with seven. 

Tusculum 3, Upper Iowa 2
Trailing 21-20 in the fourth set, the Peacocks rallied to score the final five points and force a fifth set. Two kills by Porter, a kill by Becker and two Tusculum attack errors scored the final five points. 

In the fifth, the Peacocks took a late 13-10 lead after a Porter kill, a Pioneer attack error and a service ace by Becker. Following a kill by Bystol, Tusculum took advantage of three Peacock errors to help score the next five points and win, 16-14. 

The Peacocks struggled at the service line on both ends. UIU totaled 14 service errors and gave up 11 Pioneer service aces. UIU posted a .235 attack percentage compared to Tusculum's .144 and had slightly more kills, 61-59. 

Becker led UIU with 17 kills and 19 digs. Porter hit .556 with 16 kills and three blocks. Bystol added 10 kills and six digs, while Erica Conger added eight kills. Block led UIU in digs, posting 29. 

Fruzen finished the match with 51 assists, marking the third 50-assist game of her career. She also added 18 digs, tying the second-most of her career. 

Tusculum was led by Grace VanZwieten with 16 kills, while Mackenzie Land added 13. Mary Katherine Hall led the team in digs with 26, and Victoria Church posted a team-high 27 assists.