Marquette, Mich. – Minnesota Crookston was looking for their first win of the season on Friday afternoon in a non-conference volleyball match against NSIC foe, Upper Iowa. The Peacocks were able to fend off a feisty Golden Eagles squad in five sets (27-25, 9-25, 24-26, 25-20, 7-15).
 
The Golden Eagles fall to 0-2 on the season.
 
Set One
Set one would see the Golden Eagles come back by as many as nine for the 27-25 win. UIU would jump out to a 9-4 start, but Bailey Schaefer (So., OH, Brandon, Minn.) would collect a kill to cut the lead to 9-5.
 
UIU would continue to roll on in the opening set and open up a 15-6 lead. The maroon and gold would use a Natalie Koke (R-Sr., S, Caledonia, Wis.) service ace and an Audrey Cariveau (Fr., OH, Kevil, Kent.) to cut the lead to 15-10.
 
UIU would look once again like they were pulling away, taking a 19-11 lead, but once again, Minnesota Crookston would score four in a row to make it 19-15.
 
The Peacocks would eventually take a 23-20 lead and would have set point at 24-22, but the Golden Eagles would use a Cariveau kill and a service error to knot things up at 24.
 
UIU would score the next point, but the Golden Eagles would score the next three, capped off by a Koke kill to win the first set, 27-25.
 
Set Two
The second set would be all Peacocks, who would tie the match up at one with a 25-9 win over the Golden Eagles.
 
Set Three
Set three would be the one that got away from the Golden Eagles, who led most of the match, before a late Peacock run.
 
The two teams would go back-and-forth, but the Golden Eagles would take an 8-6 lead, but UIU would go on a 7-0 run, forcing a Golden Eagle timeout.
 
A seven point lead would not faze the Golden Eagles, would score five straight points, cutting the lead to just two, at 16-14.
 
The Peacocks would take a 17-14 lead, but Charlee Krieg (Jr., OH, Cavalier, N.D.) would collect three kills in the midst of a 6-0 Golden Eagle run, to give the Golden Eagles the lead back at 20-17.
 
The maroon and gold would eventually lead 23-19, but the Peacocks would tie things up and eventually come back for the huge set three win, 26-24.
 
Set Four
Once again, these two NSIC foes would see the set swing up and down. The two teams would essentially trade points up to six apiece, but the Golden Eagles would show their muscle for a 13-6 lead, highlighted by the first career service ace by local product Kora Norland (R-Fr., S, Fosston, Minn.).
 
UIU would creep back into the set, cutting the lead to 14-12, but the Golden Eagles would answer every Peacock call for the 25-20 set four win, tying the match at two sets apiece.
 
Set Five
In the final set, it is always very important to get off to a fast start and that is exactly what the Peacocks would do, as they would ride an early six point lead for the 15-7 set five win and the win in the match.
 
Individual Sets
Cariveau would collect her first career double-digit kill match, gathering 11 kills on a whopping 48 total attacks. Schaefer and Krieg each collected nine kills, while Koke and Mara Weisensel (Jr., MH, New Ulm, Minn.) would each finish with six kills. The Golden Eagles would hit .125 as a team.
 
Koke would finish with her first double-double of the season on 24 assists and 11 digs. Schaefer would also finish with a career-high 24 digs.
 
What's Next
The Golden Eagles will wrap-up the NMU Open with two matches tomorrow. The Golden Eagles will take on Lake Superior State at 8 A.M., tomorrow morning and finish with Central Oklahoma at noon.