Fayette, Iowa. – For the second straight match in a row the Minnesota State volleyball team won in come from behind fashion. MSU was down 2-1 to Upper Iowa, before the Mavericks rallied back to take the next two sets to give them the road win over the Peacocks (18-25, 25-20, 11-25, 25-19, 15-4).

With the win, the Mavericks extend their overall record to 8-2 and now 2-0 in NSIC play.

In set one MSU and UIU were all tied up at 13-13 before the Peacocks went on a 5-0 run to give them an 18-13 lead. The Mavericks were never able to trim the Peacocks lead as UIU took set one with a 25-18 win.

In the second frame of action the Mavericks were able to swing the momentum as they took down the Peacocks 25-20. The set was close till the very end as MSU was up 21-20, before the Mavericks took the next four points in the set, thanks in part to senior setter Ellie Van De Steeg (Hutchinson, Minn.) as she tallied a kill and a service ace to close out the set.

Upper Iowa built a quick 7-0 lead over Minnesota State in the third set and never looked back. The Mavericks were able to close on the Peacocks lead to 9-4 but that was the closest MSU got in the rest of the set. UIU won set three 25-11, as the Mavericks accumulated eight attack errors, compared to the Peacocks two in the set.

Set four was another close battle between the two schools as the set was still tied at 14-14. However the Mavericks were able to build some breathing room for themselves as they built a 19-16 lead over the Peacocks. MSU just kept on building off of its momentum and closed out set four with a 25-19 win. The Mavericks forced 11 Peacock attack errors and held UIU to a .024 attack percentage in the set.

In the fifth and final set it was all Mavericks. Upper Iowa was able to record the first point in the match before MSU notched the next nine points in the set. In the Mavericks 9-0 run, senior outside hitter Rachel Ott (Stoughton, Wis.) posted five kills to help MSU build its lead. The Mavericks went on to take the set and match with a 15-4 fifth set victory. MSU dominated the set after posting 10 kills and a .556 attack percentage, compared to UIU recording just two kills and a -.056 attack percentage.

Overall MSU averaged a .229 attack percentage and tallied 13 total team blocks in the match, while UIU collected a .151 attack percentage and five total team blocks. The Mavericks had four players post 11 or more digs in the match, led by junior libero Haley Fogarty (Belle Plaine, Minn.) as she tallied a match-high 31 digs.

Senior middle blocker Krista Hassing (Blue Earth, Minn.) once again led the Mavericks offensive attack as she posted a team-high 17 kills and also led MSU with nine block assists. Freshman outside hitter Nevena Vukomanovich (Maplewood, Minn.) collected career-highs of 11 kills, 12 digs and a sizzling .524 attack percentage.

Ott finished with nine kills, .471 attack percentage and 11 digs which marks as all season highs for the senior. Van De Steeg recorded a match-high 52 assists in the match, along with 12 digs, five block assists and four kills.

The Mavericks will return to action Tuesday, as they will travel to St. Paul, Minn., to take on #3 Concordia-St. Paul. The match is scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m.