CORALVILLE, Iowa – University of Iowa volleyball opened the Kwik Star Klassic with a five-set victory over South Dakota on Thursday night at Xtream Arena.
The Hawkeyes are 6-4 on the season and 2-0 in five-set matches.
Freshman Dominique Phills had a career night with 18 kills to lead the Hawkeyes. Phills’ previous personal best was 12. Senior Gracie Gibson was efficient on the attack, converting on 10 of her 19 swings (.474). Seniors Joy Galles and Michelle Urquhart recorded 16 and 13 digs, respectively, for the Hawkeye defense. Sophomore Hannah Whittingstall was strong at the net, matching her career high with seven blocks.
As a team, Iowa assisted on 51-of-55 kills. Freshman Jenna Meitzler set up 42 Hawkeye kills in the tournament opener. Iowa hit .198, while holding South Dakota to .165.
HEAR FROM COACH BARNES
“I’m proud of the way we prepared this week. With our freshman setter (Meitzler) stepping up, we tailored everything to her this week, gave her some confidence and the team has rallied around that. I am also proud of Dominique (Phills). She had a great match and really helped us win that fifth set. When we went up 2-0, we knew there was a lot of game left. Credit to South Dakota for fighting back. We’ll certainly take the win against a very good team like that.”
MATCH SUMMARY
SET ONE (IOWA 25-22)
South Dakota opened strong, winning six of the first seven points and forcing an early Iowa timeout. The Hawkeyes responded with a 4-0 run, courtesy of two kills and a block from Whittingstall. Iowa pulled even with the Coyotes on three occasions before taking its first lead of the set at 18-17. The two teams traded points with limited errors. The Hawkeyes pushed back in front at 20-19 on a Meitzler ace. Tied at 22, Iowa used a momentum-swinging block from freshman Malu Garcia and Gibson, and back-to-back errors from the Coyotes to secure the opening set.
SET TWO (IOWA 25-20)
Set two offered much of the same, with neither team gaining separation through the first 20 points. Trailing 14-11, Iowa leaned on consecutive terminations from Phills and a service ace from redshirt freshman Alyssa Worden to tie the set. After South Dakota regained the lead momentarily, the Hawkeyes’ Olivia Lombardi went on a serving run to overtake the Coyotes. Iowa would not give up the lead the rest of the set, using aces from Lombardi and Galles, along with a kill from Whittingstall and block from Whittingstall and Meitzler.
SET THREE (SOUTH DAKOTA 25-22)
For the first time of the evening, Iowa won the first point of a set. Kills from Urquhart and Garcia, paired with a USD error, gave Iowa a 4-2 lead. South Dakota responded with a 3-0 spurt to tie the set at six. Phills matched her career high in kills in the third set to put Iowa up, 7-6. The Coyotes bounced back with a 5-1 run, aided by a pair of Hawkeye errors. South Dakota gained separation at 11-8 before pushing forward 17-10. Iowa suffered a brief stretch of sloppy passing that helped the Coyotes. Urquhart got the Hawkeyes back in the set, serving an ace and kickstarting a 5-0 Iowa run. The teams each converted their attacks late in the set. With South Dakota leading 20-18, the Coyotes earned off five of the next seven points to ultimately win the set.
SET FOUR (South Dakota 25-19)
Set four featured several momentum swings. South Dakota built on its success from set three to go up 3-0, before a strong solo block from Gibson fired up the Iowa side. With Galles serving, Iowa won the next five points to take a 6-3 lead. Urquhart played a significant role during that stretch, converting a pair of kills. The fourth frame settled down and was tied seven times. A service error deadlocked at 17 provided an opening for the Coyotes and sparked a 7-2 run to close out the set.
SET FIVE (IOWA 15-7)
Iowa regrouped quickly in the deciding set, sprinting out to a 6-1 lead. Sophomore Gabby Deery took over, recording three kills during that span. A couple of Iowa miscues pulled South Dakota closer, but the threat was extinguished on consecutive Coyotes errors and a devastating block from Meitzler and Whittingstall. Whittingstall converted an attack to push Iowa in front 11-6. The Hawkeyes capitalized on Coyote mistakes to close out the set and win their second five-set match of the season.
