Iowa Sweeps NDSU; Improves to 8-2

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AMES, Iowa — The University of Iowa volleyball team used a .330 attack percentage and 47 kills to register a 3-0 sweep over North Dakota State on Saturday night at Hilton Coliseum. The Hawkeyes improve to 8-2 on the season with the victory.
 
“Really great fortitude by our group to come out and get a resounding victory over a really good North Dakota State team,” said UI head coach Bond Shymansky. “It’s a long weekend, and it would be easy to just try to put it on cruise control, but I’m glad our group keeps investing in each other and investing in our true mental toughness.”
 
Junior Jess Janota and sophomore Reghan Coyle were both named to the all-tournament team. Janota hit .559 on the weekend with 21 kills in 34 attempts with just two errors. The Concord, Ohio, native also registered 11 digs and four blocks. Coyle hit .333 with 18 kills in 36 attempts. She paced the team with six blocks in the tournament.
 
Iowa came out firing in the first set, registering a .379 attack percentage and 15 kills. The Hawkeyes used an 8-0 run to grab a lead and create separation. Senior Loxley Keala served the rally and added an ace, while senior Lauren Brobst (3), Janota (1), and Coyle (2) added kills. The Hawkeyes remained in control from there, going on to win the set, 25-14.
 
After a back-and-forth battle to start set two, the Hawkeyes utilized a five-point swing to take a 19-14 lead. Redshirt sophomore Kasey Reuter served the run and added an ace, while Brobst added a kill. Iowa fought off a late 3-1 rally by the Bison to hold on and win the set, 25-21, and take a 2-0 lead in the match. Five Hawkeyes combined for 14 kills in the set. Coyle paced the team with four.
 
Iowa and North Dakota State traded points to begin set three, before the Hawkeyes pulled ahead with a seven-point swing. Keala served the rally and contributed a pair of aces, and Brobst (2) and Coyle (1) added kills to give the Hawkeyes a 14-7 lead. Iowa extended its lead (20-9) with a six-point run late behind four kills from redshirt sophomore Kasey Reuter. The Hawkeyes controlled it from there, going on to win the set, 25-15, and the match, 3-0.
 
Three Hawkeyes – Brobst (11), Coyle (10), and Janota (10) – reached double digits in kills. Janota was the most efficient, hitting .667 with 10 kills in 15 attempts and no errors. Keala dished out a team-high 38 assists, junior libero Annika Olsen paced the team in digs (15), and senior Ashley Mariani (2) and Loxley Keala registered two blocks a piece.
 
“We are pleased that we are sitting at 8-2 right now,” said Shymansky. “We have plenty of work to do as we get ready for a home stand and then Big Ten play. There are lots of little details that we will continue to focus on and work on, but we are really enjoying the process and the growth within our group.”
 
The Hawkeyes return to Carver-Hawkeye Arena, hosting the Iowa Invitational from Sept. 16-17.