Hawkeyes Win 5-Set Thriller

Stats

Sept. 4, 2010

Box Score

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St. Louis – The University of Iowa volleyball team won a five-set thriller over Creighton this afternoon at the Marcia E. Hamilton Active Ankle Challenge. The Hawkeyes jumped to an early two-match lead against the Bluejays, but after Creighton battled back to tie the match, 2-2, Iowa was forced to work overtime to win the rubber set, 20-18, for its first road win of the season.

Junior Mallory Husz (21) and Megan Eskew (16) matched their career highs in kills and freshman Rachael Bedell recorded a career-best 19 kills to lead the Iowa offense. Junior Paige Stevens dished a career-high 59 assists and freshmen Bethany Yeager picked up a career-best and game-high 33 digs to lead Iowa to its second five-set win of the young season.

“We’re glad to get the win,” said Head Coach Sharon Dingman, “but we need to learn how to close the match. On the other hand, I thought we played very well when the game was on the line. The team plays very well when they’re up against the wall, but I’d like to see us close matches before we reach that point.”

Mallory Husz got the Hawkeyes (4-1) rolling by pounding five kills in Iowa’s 25-19 opening-set victory. The Hawkeyes took a 2-1 lead on a Creighton error and never looked back, getting four kills from Rachael Bedell and three kills from Husz while building a 14-10 lead. Iowa then used a kill from Megan Eskew and a Walters block to build a 20-13 advantage. Husz’ fifth kill of the set forced set point, 24-17, and Stevens ended the frame with a kill to give Iowa the 1-0 match lead.

Bedell and Husz kept the Hawkeyes rolling in their 25-20 second set victory. Iowa used points from Eskew, Nikki Dailey and Husz to build an early 3-0 lead, but Creighton battled back to take a 10-8 advantage. Husz then took over the net and recorded three kills during a six-point run as Iowa built a 14-10 lead. The Bluejays would pull within two points, 18-16, before Walters hammered a kill and delivered an ace to give Iowa a four-point cushion, 20-16. Creighton battled to a 23-20 score before consecutive kills from Bedell and Eskew ended the set and gave Iowa a 2-0 match advantage.

Creighton (2-4) jumped on the board with a back-and-forth third set. After the teams had battled to a 16-16 tie, the 10th tie of the frame, Creighton used a three-point run to seize a 19-16 lead and finished the set with the final four points to win, 25-20.

The Bluejays tied the match, 2-2, by stealing the fourth set, 25-19. The teams shared the lead seven times as they battled to a 10-10 tie to start the fourth, but Creighton used a 10-4 run to seize control of the set, 20-14, and hung on for a 25-19 win to force the fifth and rubber set.

Creighton stayed hot by jumping to a 5-2 lead to start the decisive set, but Eskew and Husz combined for four straight kills to take a 6-5 lead. Iowa stretched its lead to 11-8 before sophomore Lauren Friedman took over with a pair of kills and a double-block to lead Iowa to match point, 14-9. Creighton battled back once again with five straight points to tie the set, 14-14, before the teams traded points to force an 18-18 tie. Creighton’s comeback was stalled at the 18-point mark as the Hawkeye defense forced two straight errors to end the set and escape with a 3-2 match victory.

Iowa returns to action tonight at Chaifetz Arena to face tournament host Saint Louis at 7 p.m.