CLINTON, Iowa - The Ashford University (3-2, 0-0 MCC) volleyball team kept it close against Div. II Upper Iowa University (5-0, 0-0 NSIC) in its home debut on Tuesday, but eventually fell in straight sets, 25-20, 25-14, 25-13.

The Saints were coming off a three-win weekend at the Mustang Invitational in Cedar Rapids and came in looking to avenge a regular-season loss against Upper Iowa suffered in Fayette last year.

"We knew that we had a top team coming at us in Upper Iowa," AU Head Coach Micah Cewe said. "Our middles played well over the weekend and digging -- we're getting there, but we're continuing mesh and get used to each other's style."

Ashford rallied back in the first set to close the gap to a 20-19 UIU lead after a Peacock service error. The Saints exhausted a pair of timeouts and Upper Iowa went on a 5-1 run to close out the first set.

The same situation nearly applied for the second set as a kill by senior Rachel Caulkins of Elmwood, Ill., pulled Ashford within two points (11-9), but Upper Iowa went on 5-0 run to cause another AU timeout. An emphatic kill by junior Allison Uceda of Lima, Peru, halted the Peacocks' momentum temporarily, but UIU mustered another 5-1 run to snuff out the AU comeback bid.

Ashford took the lead for the first time all night in the third set behind a kill from sophomore Kendra King of Morrison, Ill., and led by as many as three points. The Saints still had to fight back from a one-point deficit on several occasions in the final set.

Senior middle hitter Lisa LaMasse of Hanover Park, Ill., netted a kill assisted by Breelyn McMahon of Princeton, Ill., to make the score 20-19 in favor of Upper Iowa. Freshman setter Liz Gbur recorded her team-leading 11th service ace of the year to trim the UIU lead to one again and a solo block by LaMasse tied the match at 23-all and caused the crowd to erupt.

Back-to-back kills by Upper Iowa ended hopes of moving to a fourth set and kept the Peacocks unbeaten in the young season.

King and junior Hanna Bruns of La Porte City led the Saints with seven kills apiece while sophomore captain Whitney Miller of Clinton had team-high totals in assists (18) and digs (11).

Ashford returns to action this weekend at the St. Xavier-IIT Crossover Tournament in Chicago. The Saints face the University of Michigan-Dearborn and Robert Morris University on Saturday before meeting Trinity Christian College and the University of St. Francis on Sunday.