COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - The 18th-ranked CSI Volleyball team continued their remarkable start to the 2026 season by picking up two more wins, knocking off Iowa Western 19-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-20 before knocking off one of the nations best in Northeastern Junior College 25-21, 25-19, 25-18.
The day got off to a slow start for the Golden Eagles in their opener against the host Iowa Western, dropping the first set before quickly regrouping to take the next three.
Emma Pannell provided the spark off of the bench finishing with a game high 16 kills and 11 digs.
Emerson Heatwole paced the Golden Eagles in digs with 20, while
Mary Irwin pitched in 16 digs and a season high 30 assists.Â
"We started off a little slow but made some adjustments and turned it around," said CSI Head Coach
Andria Parker. "I was proud of our teams grit to work through the tough start and find a way out of it."Â
In the nightcap, CSI went toe to toe with with the 3rd-ranked team in the country, and in an impressive showing swept the Plainswomen in straight sets, notching their second ranked victory early on the young season.Â
The freshman duo of Brynlee Bybee and
Bilge Avcu paced the Golden Eagles offensively with nine and seven kills respectively, while
Emma Pannell carried her momentum from game one into the game two, with a team high 16 digs.
Mary Irwin and
Dalayni Brindley evenly distributed out a team total of 30 assists as Irwin finished with 16 and Brindley finished with 14.Â
"NJC is a top contender in the NJCAA and they brought everything at us," said Parker. "We learned to battle for every point and handled the pressure when it mattered. Our coaching staff is proud of the growth we have seen so far, this early in the season."Â
The Golden eagles will finish out their opening weekend in Iowa tomorrow, as they will take on Western Nebraska Community College at 12:30 p.m. MT.Â
