No. 25 Minnesota Defeats Iowa

Stats | Boxscore

Oct. 25, 2014

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Box Score | Final Stats

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — The No. 25-ranked Golden Gophers (14-7, 4-6) defeated the Hawkeye volleyball team (9-12, 1-9), 3-0, on Saturday night. Errors plagued the Iowa offense, which posted a .022 attack percentage in the match compared to Minnesota’s .352.

“Our group did not execute on first contact,” head coach Bond Shymansky said. “We keep trying to tweak things to get our serve-receive going, but it wasn’t sharp. We had too many balls out of system. We came out, looked flat and played flat. I couldn’t get them going and that’s on me.

“We scored more points for Minnesota tonight than we did for ourselves. There is no mistaking that when you look at the stat sheet. We have to learn how to terminate and learn how to take aggressive swings.”

Minnesota used a .393 attack percentage to establish an advantage in the match with a 25-12 set one win. The Hawkeyes, led by Alessandra Dietz and Jess Janota with two kills apiece, only posted six kills altogether and hit -.030.

Iowa kept it close early in set two, 9-8, but the Gophers used a 5-0 run to pull ahead. Minnesota controlled the remainder of the set, hitting .265 to Iowa’s .000, to record its 25-14 win. Dietz earned two of the Hawkeyes’ seven total kills to lead the team in the second set.

The Hawkeyes used two Julianne Blomberg kills and service aces from Michelle Fugarino and Alyssa Klostermann to establish 5-1 lead early in the third set, but the Gophers rallied back with a six-point run to shift the momentum in their favor and take an 11-9 lead. Minnesota played on to a 25-18 set win and secured the sweep of the Hawkeyes.

Minnesota native Blomberg led the Hawkeye offense with seven kills in the contest.

“It was a neat homecoming moment for Julianne, she’s from here and she did a great job for us tonight,” Shymansky said. “She led us in kills, played fearless and showed great intensity at moments, but we couldn’t rally around her alone.”

Fugarino and Mikaela Gunderson led the defense with 15 digs and five blocks, respectively, while Kaylee Smith dished out a team-high 11 assists.

Iowa remains on the road next weekend against conference newcomers Maryland and Rutgers. The Hawkeyes face the Terrapins on Friday and the Scarlet Knights on Saturday. Both matches are scheduled for 6 p.m. (CT).