Oct. 26, 2008
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- Big Ten Network: Free Hawkeye Video
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- Iowa volleyball wallpaper
- Iowa `Volleyblog’
COLUMBUS, OH – The University of Iowa volleyball team picked up its first road win in Big Ten play Sunday, defeating Ohio State, 25-23, 19-25, 25-15, 25-22. The win snaps an 18-match losing streak on the road in Big Ten play for the Hawkeyes (13-9, 5-5).
Iowa’s last win on the road in Big Ten action was Oct. 28, 2006, when the Hawkeyes defeated Indiana in Bloomington. The Hawkeyes also snapped a 39-match losing streak against Ohio State, and Sunday’s victory was the first in Columbus since 1988. Iowa now has five conference wins at the halfway point in Big Ten play, which is the most an Iowa team has collected since 2000.
“It feels great to get that first road win,” Head Coach Sharon Dingman said. “It was good to see us execute at the end to win. This will definitely be a fun plane ride home. I thought we played very well at times today, but we need to focus on two tough Big Ten matches next weekend.”
Senior Catherine Smale led the Hawkeyes with a double-double, recording 13 kills and 14 digs along with four service aces. Junior Megan Schipper had a solid all-around performance with 10 kills, nine digs, two solo blocks and five block assists. Senior Emily Hiza chipped in a team-best 16 digs and also had three service aces. Senior Kiley Fister also had a double-double with 33 assists and 12 digs, and senior Laura Kremer had nine total blocks (two solo, seven assists). Iowa collected seven service aces, which is a season-high for a four-set match.
Iowa started things off with a 25-23 win in the first set. Smale had five kills and seven digs to lead the team, while Kremer had four total blocks (two solo, two assists). Fister added 11 assists.
The opening set saw ties at one, three, four and five points before a 4-1 Buckeye run gave them a 9-6 lead. Iowa kept its deficit within three points until a 6-1 Hawkeye surge put them on top, 17-15. Ohio State rallied and knotted the score at 17, but three-straight Hawkeye blocks gave Iowa a20-17 advantage. The teams traded points at the end of the set, with Iowa keeping between a two and three point lead. Huffman recorded a kill to put Iowa on top, 23-20, and Ohio State used its last timeout of the set. The Buckeyes battled back with three points in the next four rallies to make the score 24-23 in favor of Iowa, but a Kennedy kill on the third set point of the frame gave Iowa the win.
Iowa battled back late in the second set, but couldn’t come away with the win, falling 25-19. Huffman had four kills and Hiza added eight digs. Kremer and Schipper each had two block assists.
The second set started close until Ohio State took a 5-3 lead. Iowa fought back to tie the score at six, seven, eight and nine until a 6-1 Buckeye run forced a Hawkeye timeout at 15-10. Four more Buckeye points in the next five rallies saw the score go to 19-11, and Iowa took its final timeout of the stanza. Ohio State increased its lead to 22-13 after the pause, but Iowa refused to go away, putting together a 6-1 surge to come within four at 23-19. Ohio State then managed two points in the final two rallies to tie the match at one set each.
The Hawkeyes came out of the locker room with a 25-15 win in the third set. Smale and Kennedy each had three kills in the frame.
Iowa opened the third set with two-straight points, but an early 4-0 Ohio State run gave the Buckeyes a 4-2 lead. Iowa responded with its own 7-2 run to regain a 9-6 advantage. The Hawkeyes held on to their lead and later used an impressive 8-0 surge to take a commanding 19-10 lead. The Hawkeyes kept Ohio State in check, stretching their lead to 23-13 off a Schipper kill. Ohio State committed an error to give the Hawkeyes set point at 24-14, and a Buckeye service error two rallies later gave Iowa a 2-1 match lead. Iowa took the fourth set, 25-22. Smale and Schipper each had three kills and Kremer chipped in three block assists. Fister had seven assists and six digs.
Iowa took an early 4-1 lead, but Ohio State battled back within one point five times (5-4, 8-7, 9-8, 10-9). The Hawkeyes then used kills from Smale and Schipper along with a Buckeye error to take a three-point lead at 13-10. Iowa kept its lead at 18-13 before a 3-0 Buckeye run made the score 18-16, and Dingman used one of her two timeouts. After an Ohio State error made the score 19-16, the Buckeyes went on a 4-1 run to take a 20-19 lead. Iowa used a kill from Kennedy and a Schipper block to knot the score at both 20 and 21 before a Hiza ace gave Iowa the lead at 22-21. Ohio State managed one more point to tie the set at 22, but an Ohio State service error followed by two-straight Schipper blocks sealed the win for Iowa.
The Hawkeyes continue action on the road next week when they take on Indiana Friday in Bloomington. Match time is slated for 6 p.m. (CT).