Oct. 11, 2013
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EAST LANSING, Mich. — University of Iowa volleyball fell to No. 7 Michigan State, 3-0, on the road on Friday, Oct. 11. The loss brings the Hawkeyes to 9-8 overall on the season and 0-5 in Big Ten action. The Spartans move to 16-1 overall and 5-0 in conference play.
Iowa used an Alex Lovell kill to post its only lead of set one, 1-0, before the Spartans went on a four-point run to seize the momentum. The Hawkeyes brought it back within one, 5-4, with two kills from Lovell and one from Rachael Bedell, but Michigan State used a seven-point run to pull away.
Their lead held for the remainder of the set despite a late offensive effort from Iowa, which included two Lauren Brobst kills and a kill apiece from Lovell, Erin Leppek, and Bedell. The Spartans secured the set one win, 25-14.
Michigan State never trailed en route to its 25-13 set two win. The Spartan offense posted a dominating .545 hitting percentage in the set, while holding the Hawkeyes to a .154 hitting percentage. Alessandra Dietz and Lovell each tallied three kills to pace Iowa.
After the Spartans took a commanding lead early in set three, the Hawkeyes clawed their way back to cut the deficit down to two, 15-13. The drive was fueled by kills from Erin Radke, Lovell, Brobst, and Bedell.
The Hawkeyes kept it within two with a Brobst kill and a Leppek service ace before the Spartans pulled back ahead outscoring Iowa 7-2 to extend its lead 20-15. Lovell propelled the Hawkeye offense late with four kills and a service ace, but the Iowa effort fell short as they dropped set three, 25-21.
Lovell paced the Hawkeye offense with 12 kills, while Brobst hit a team-high .400 in the match. Nikki Dailey led the team with 14 assists, and Bethany Yeager posted a team-high seven digs. Tallying one block each were Dietz, Leppek, and Radke.
The Hawkeyes return to Big Ten action at No. 17 Michigan on Saturday, Oct. 12. First serve is slated for 6 p.m. CT.