CSI volleyball stays unbeaten with two wins in Iowa

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - The 18th-ranked CSI volleyball team continued its strong start to the 2026 season by picking up two more wins, knocking off Iowa Western 19-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-20 before defeating one of the nation's 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 host Iowa Western, dropping the first set before quickly regrouping to take the next three. Emma Pannell provided a spark off 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 added 16 digs and a season-high 30 assists.

"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."

In the nightcap, CSI went toe to toe with the third-ranked team in the country and, in an impressive showing, swept the Plainswomen in straight sets, notching its second ranked victory early in the season.

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 game two with a team-high 16 digs. Mary Irwin and Dalayni Brindley evenly distributed a team total of 30 assists, as Irwin finished with 16 and Brindley finished with 14.

"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."

The Golden Eagles will finish their opening weekend in Iowa on Sunday, as they will take on Western Nebraska Community College at 12:30 p.m. MT.