PISCATAWAY, NJ– University of Iowa volleyball opened Big Ten play with a five-set win over the Rutgers on Thursday night in Jersey Mike Arena.
The Hawkeyes improve to 7-6 on the season and 1-0 in conference. This is Iowa’s first conference opener win since beating Northwestern to start 2019 Big Ten play.
Freshman Malu Garcia led the Hawkeyes with 17 kills, tying her career best. She also set a new career-high with nine blocks and eight digs. The Hawkeyes had two players record double-doubles; freshman Jenna Meitzler had 51 assists and 10 digs, senior Michelle Urquhart had 10 kills and 10 digs. Senior Joy Galles recorded a career-high 23 digs.
HEAR FROM COACH BARNES
“We are so proud of how hard the team worked this week to get prepared with the adjustments we made. The team came through and stuck together during some hard times. I’m proud of the youth that’s getting experience quickly. I’m so glad we were able to pull it out on the road. Any win in the Big Ten is huge and I want these players to grow in their confidence and teamwork and then see the fruit of their hard work show up like this. Wins do that for us. They give is that validation that we are getting better.”
MATCH SUMMARY
SET ONE (RUTGERS 25-22)
Garcia started hot with two back-to-back kills to give the Hawkeyes the early lead, 2-1. The match would remain tight with both teams trading kills. A hitting error by Rutgers tied the match at seven. The Scarlett Knights opened a, 5-0, run forcing an Iowa timeout down 12-7. Both teams traded errors as the Hawkeyes got within two on an ace serve from Galles to make it, 14-12. Rutgers was able to pull away after a 4-0 run to force Iowa to take its second timeout. The Scarlett Knights continued to push but the Hawkeyes cut the lead, 22-20, with kills from Garcia and Gibson. Another kill by Garcia at set point to kept Iowa alive, but the Scarlett Knights were able to close out the first set.
SET TWO (IOWA 25-23)
Rutgers got out to an early, 5-0, lead before a kill from Urquhart got the Hawkeyes on the board. Iowa was playing from behind until a 6-2 run cut the deficit to three forcing the Scarlett Knights to take their first timeout at 14-11. The Hawkeyes would continue to chip away at the Rutgers lead and a kill from Garcia would tie the set at 16. Rutgers went on another run but smart plays from Iowa and errors by Rutgers would tie the match at 23. Kills from Deery and Garcia would close out the set win for the Hawkeyes.
SET THREE (IOWA 30-28)
The third set saw 16 ties and 9 lead changes. The teams were going back-and-forth as kills from Garcia and sophomore Hannah Whittingstall put the Hawkeyes up, 10-8. The set remained tight as Iowa went into the media timeout with the, 15-13, lead. Neither team was able to pull away as Iowa called their first timeout with the set tied at 20. Both teams continued to trade points as Garcia came up clutch with a set saving kill to tie the score at 24 all. Both teams traded points to keep the set alive, but the Hawkeyes capitalized on a Rutgers error and secured the set victory on an ace from Urquhart.
SET FOUR (RUTGERS 25-19)
Iowa started the fourth set strong jumping out to an 8-4 lead. The Scarlett Knights responded going on a 10-3 run to force an Iowa timeout down, 14-11. Iowa kept scaping away at the Scarlett Knights lead and kills from Deery and Gibson cut the Hawkeye deficit to one at 19-18, prompting Rutgers to call a timeout. Rutgers came out of the timeout strong and closed out the fourth set on a 6-1 run to force a decisive fifth set.
SET FIVE (IOWA 15-9)
Iowa came out in dominate fashion taking an early, 8-3, lead. The Hawkeyes found their rhythm and never looked back in the set. A few errors from the Scarlett Knights brought Iowa to match point with its lead at eight. Rutgers would try for one final push, but a kill from Meitzler would give Iowa the match win. Deery led the way in the final set with three kills.
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes travel to College Park to take on the Maryland Terrapins on Sept. 28 at 6:00 p.m. (CT).
