Aug 31, 2013
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POST INVITATIONAL INTERVIEW WITH COACH DINGMAN
CONWAY, S.C. — The University of Iowa volleyball program remained perfect opening weekend recording a 3-1 victory over Chanticleer Invitational host Coastal Carolina (1-2). The Hawkeyes (3-0) were crowned invitational champions.
Junior Alessandra Dietz was named to the tournament team and was voted most valuable player of the invitational. She notched 41 kills on the weekend with a 2.93 kills per set average and an attack percentage of .397. The middle also paced the Hawkeyes with 16 blocks.
After Iowa used a four-point run, highlighted by an Alyssa Klostermann ace, the Chanticleers fought back to tie it up. The Hawkeyes and Coastal Carolina were neck and neck for the remainder of the set that contained 11 ties and eight lead changes. Lauren Brobst and Erin Radke led the scoring effort notching four kills apiece en route to the 25-20 set one pick-up.
Set two was another back and forth battle between Iowa and Coastal Carolina. With Iowa trailing the Chanticleers by one 5-4, Rachael Bedell took control notching three consecutive kills. The Hawkeyes maintained their lead for the remainder of the set, withstanding a six-point Chanticleer rally, to record a 25-20 set two win.
Coastal Carolina opened the third set with a 3-0 run before being halted by another Radke, Dietz block. The Chanticleers controlled the first half of the set, but Iowa clawed their way back, tying the match 13 all on a Bedell kill. Iowa’s comeback was thwarted by the Chanticleers who used a three-point rally to win 25-22.
The Hawkeyes were back and forth with the Chanticleers once again in the fourth set which included eight ties and four lead changes. But Iowa, led by Alex Lovell’s seven kills and Bedell’s five, could not be stopped. With the match tied 23-23, Bedell closed out the match with consecutive kills.
Recording double doubles for the second match of the day were Lovell (17 kills and 11 digs), Nikki Dailey (22 assists and 11 digs) and Klostermann (23 assists and 15 digs). Lovell paced the Hawkeyes with 17 kills, while Bedell reached double digits in kills for the first time in 2013 with 13.
Bethany Yeager (23), Klostermann (15), Dailey (11) and Lovell (11) all reached double digits in kills. Dietz paced Iowa with seven total blocks, while Radke added five.
The Hawkeyes resume regular season play at the Valparaiso Tournament on Sept. 6-7. Iowa will face Rhode Island on Friday and conclude play with matches against Eastern Michigan and host Valparaiso.