Seniors Honored, Hawkeyes Fall to Ohio State

Stats | Boxscore

Nov. 30, 2013

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Iowa City, IOWA — The University of Iowa volleyball team fell in four sets, 3-1, to Ohio State on Mediacom Court in Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Saturday evening. It was Senior Night for Hawkeyes Rachael Bedell, Grace Burns, Nikki Dailey, and Bethany Yeager.

The Buckeye offense got off to a hot start, outscoring the Hawkeyes 5-1 in the first set. Iowa clawed its way back to get within one point of Ohio State 12-11, but the Buckeyes held off the Hawkeye drive and never gave up their advantage en route to their 25-20 set one win.

Bedell and Erin Radke led the Hawkeye offense with three kill each in the opening set. Ohio State out-hit Iowa .279 to .167.

Ohio State began the second set with a 4-0 run and never trailed from there recording the 25-21 win. Iowa’s comeback effort fell short as they were able to cut the deficit down to three points, 23-20, by outscoring the Buckeyes 11-7 after trailing by as much as nine.

Lauren Brobst led the Hawkeyes with four kills and a .571 hitting percentage in the second set. Ohio State held the edge with a .233 attack percentage to Iowa’s .088.

After falling behind Ohio State 4-2 in the third set, the Hawkeye offense erupted outscoring the Buckeyes 9-1 to stake an 11-5 advantage. Kills from Alessandra Dietz, Radke, and Alex Lovell combined with a Dietz ace, Lovell solo block and a Dietz/Radke block fueled the drive. Iowa used additional kills from Lovell, Bedell, and Dietz and a Dailey service ace to extend its lead to six points, 17-11. The Buckeyes would rally back to get within one, but the Hawkeyes survived the push to take set three, 25-22.

Iowa out-hit Ohio State .119 to .047 in the win. Dietz once led the charge with four kills and a .500 hitting percentage, while Lovell added three kills.

The Hawkeyes and Buckeyes battled through a total of 10 ties and four lead changes in the fourth set. It took six extra points to decide the victor, and it was Ohio State who was able to close the set, 29-27, and the match, 3-1. Bedell paced the Iowa offense with seven kills down the stretch and was key in keeping the fourth set alive.

In the match, Bedell led the way with 14 kills, and Brobst posted a team-high .429 hitting percentage. Dailey dished out a team-most 23 assists followed by Alyssa Klostermann who recorded 19. Lovell earned a double-double with 11 kills and 13 digs on the night. Dietz led the blocking front with seven stuffs, which ties her career-high. Yeager’s 14 digs brings her career total to 2,007. She is the first player in Iowa history to surpass the 2,000 career digs threshold.

The Hawkeyes end the 2013 season with an 11-21 overall record and a 2-18 mark in Big Ten play.