19th-Ranked Minnesota Defefats Iowa, 3-1

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Nov. 19, 2011

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IOWA CITY, Iowa — The University of Iowa volleyball team lost 3-1 (23-25, 25-18, 25-18, 25-19) to 19th-ranked Minnesota on Saturday inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Senior Megan Eskew and sophomore Nikki Dailey both posted double-doubles for the Hawkeyes. Eskew added 13 digs to her team-high 14 kills to post her 10th kill-dig double-double of the season. Dailey recorded her team-high 13th double-double of the year, posting team highs in assists (45) and digs (21). Dailey’s 21 digs is a new career-best.

“Minnesota is a really good team but I thought we played pretty well tonight,” said head coach Sharon Dingman. “Our bench helped out when they needed to. Chante'(Thompson) in particular played very well. I thought we stayed pretty strong in the later sets. It was a good effort by the Hawkeyes.”

Thompson finished the night with six kills in 11 swings.

The Hawkeyes rebounded from an early deficit to claim the opening frame, 25-23. Trailing 13-10, Iowa used a 5-1 run that included four kills and a Minnesota attack error to take its first lead of set, 15-14. Minnesota responded by scoring two unanswered points after an attack error to knot the score at 16. The teams then traded 5-2 runs, making the score 23-23. Minnesota’s spurt prompted Dingman to use her second timeout of the match. The team answered the break with back-to-back kills from Tiffany Nilges and Eskew to secure the win. Dailey assisted on 16 Iowa points during the first set. Nilges paced the Hawkeyes with five kills.

Iowa tried to repeat its come-from-behind efforts in the second set but fell short, 25-18. After scoring the set’s first point, the Hawkeyes trailed by as many as four before freshman Alex Lovell guided Iowa back into the lead, 12-11. The Golden Gophers then pulled away from Iowa, closing the set with a 9-3 spurt top tie the match, 1-1.

In the third set, Minnesota jumped out to a 9-2 lead en route to another 25-18 victory. The Golden Gophers hit .250 to grab a 2-1 match advantage. Nilges recorded a team-best five kills for the Hawkeyes, while Dailey led the team in assist (10) and digs (eight).

Minnesota carried the momentum into the fourth frame. The Golden Gophers hit .368 to earn a 25-19 victory. Thompson provided a spark off the Iowa bench, leading the team with five kills and a block assist, but Minnesota fought off a late Hawkeye rally and closed with a 5-1 run to win the match.

The Hawkeyes return to action Tuesday, Nov. 22 against Nebraska. Iowa hosts the Cornhuskers at 6 p.m. on Mediacom Court inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.