Hawkeyes Drop 3-2 Heartbreaker at Oakland

Stats | Boxscore

Sept. 1, 2012

Box Score

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ROCHESTER, Mich. — The University of Iowa volleyball team dropped a 3-2 decision at Oakland on Saturday night in its third and final match of the Golden Grizzly Invitational (25-22, 25-16, 16-25, 22-25, 13-15). The Hawkeyes fall to 5-2 on the season. The match was held at Athletics Center O’rena on the campus of Oakland University.

“We got better every time that we played,” said head coach Sharon Dingman about the tournament. “That is always good to see and very encouraging. The disappointing part is playing so hard against Eastern Illinois last night and Toledo this morning, and then against Oakland for a couple of sets, to not win the tournament is pretty disappointing. There are some good things we can take away from this.”

Juniors Rachael Bedell and Nikki Dailey and sophomore Alex Lovell were named to the all-tournament team. Lovell paced Iowa during the three-match tournament with 41 kills. Bedell totaled 38 kills and 28 digs while registering two double-doubles. Dailey notched 128 assists and 33 digs.

The Hawkeyes, competing in their first road match, claimed a wild first set, 25-22. The opening frame saw 20 ties. Both teams went back-and-forth throughout the game, with no team leading by more than two until the final point. Trailing 22-21, Iowa finished the set on a 4-0 run to win their sixth opening set in seven tries this year. Bedell notched back-to-back kills to give the visitors the lead. A service ace by Kari Mueller and a block by Dailey and Chante’ Thompson closed out the first set victory. Thompson led the way with five kills and Dailey turned in a set-high 15 assists. The Hawkeyes registered a .417 attack percentage and 17 kills.

Iowa pushed its match lead to 2-0 with a 25-16 second set victory. The Hawkeyes led throughout the frame. Leading 5-3, Iowa used a 9-0 run to open up a 14-3 advantage. The Hawkeyes led by as many as 14, at 20-6, while recording a .324 attack percentage. Thompson tallied a set-best five kills and Bedell added three kills and six digs.

Oakland (3-3) answered, claiming the third set 25-16. With the frame tied early at 8-8, the Golden Grizzlies used a 5-0 run to grab a 13-8 lead they would not relinquish.

In the fourth set, Oakland raced out to a 9-3 lead. The Golden Grizzlies held a comfortable advantage until Iowa used a four-point run when trailing 23-16 to close within three at 23-20. Following an Oakland kill, the Hawkeyes used two-straight kills from Lovell to cut the lead to 24-22. The Golden Grizzlies answered with a kill of their own to close out the fourth set win, 25-22.

Oakland completed its come-from-behind win with a 15-13 final set victory. The two teams were even at 8-8 before a kill by Lovell gave Iowa a 9-8 advantage. The home team used a 4-0 run to take a three-point lead. The Hawkeyes rallied to cut the deficit to 14-13, but an attack error in the next point gave the Golden Grizzlies the win and the tournament title.

The Hawkeyes continue action Friday at the Iowa State Challenge in Ames, Iowa. Iowa opens against Syracuse at 10 a.m. before facing rival Iowa State at 6:30 p.m. The Hawkeyes close the tournament Saturday at 4 p.m. against Eastern Washington. Iowa’s match against the Cyclones will mark the second event in this year’s Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series. The Hawkeyes lead the annual series 2-0 after the Iowa soccer team defeated Iowa State Friday night, 3-1.