Hawk Talk Monthly — November | Hawkeye Fan Shop — A Black & Gold Store | 24 Hawkeyes to Watch 2018-19 | Match Notes (PDF)
SERVE IT UP
The University of Iowa volleyball team hosts No. 6 Nebraska inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Wednesday at 7 p.m. (CT). The match will air live on the Big Ten Network. Iowa will travel to East Lansing, Michigan, for a matchup against the Spartans on Saturday, Nov. 10, at 6 p.m.
FOLLOW ALONG
- Live stats for each contest can be found on the Iowa volleyball schedule page at hawkeyesports.com/vblive.
- A live stream of both matches are available on BTN2Go (subscription required).
PROMOTIONS
Wednesday’s match against Nebraska will serve as Military Appreciation Night. Military veterans and members can use the promo code: VETERANSDAY for a free ticket to the match.
KELLY CLOSING IN ON 1,000 DIGS
- Senior Molly Kelly is closing in on 1,000 career digs.
- The West Liberty, Iowa, native has 985 career digs after notching 36 last weekend against Rutgers and Penn State.
- Kelly would become the 16th Hawkeye in program history to eclipse 1,000 career digs.
- Kelly’s 985 digs are 18th in school history.
FOLLOW THE HAWKEYES
For an inside look at the Iowa Volleyball program and access to exclusive coverage, “like” University of Iowa Volleyball on Facebook and follow @IowaVolleyball on Twitter and Instagram.
KELLY LEADING THE B1G
- Senior Molly Kelly ranks among the best liberos in the conference.
- Overall, Kelly leads the Big Ten with 470 total digs and 5.10 digs per set.
- Kelly’s 5.10 digs per set are the highest in program history since the 25-point scoring format was implemented in 2008.
- Kelly’s 25 digs against Rutgers on Nov. 2 are the third most digs in a three-set match by a Big Ten player this season.
- Her 29 digs against No. 18 Michigan on Sept. 23 set a new career high.
ORR MOVES INTO 8TH ALL-TIME
- Sophomore setter Brie Orr moved into eight in program history after recording 30 assists in a loss against No. 7 Penn State on Nov. 3.
- Orr now has 2,160 career assists – one ahead of Jitka Stehnova.
- On Oct. 21, Orr became the ninth player in program history to eclipse 2,000 career assists with her 19th assist in the third set against Wisconsin.
- She leads Iowa with 959 assists through 25 matches.
- Orr averages 10.20 assists per set, which is seventh in the Big Ten.
- Orr returns to Iowa as the team’s premier setter after recording 1,201 assists in 2017 – the second most assists in single-season program history since the 25-point scoring format was implemented in 2008.
- Orr now trails Loxley Keala by 299 assists for seventh all-time.
HOYE JOINS ELITE COMPANY
- Junior Cali Hoye recorded her second 30-kill performance against Northwestern on Oct. 24. The other was in a win over then-No.6 Wisconsin on Oct. 6
- Hoye reached the milestone thanks to a 13-kill second set, where she notched a .500 attack percentage (13-3-20).
- Hoye was the first player in the Big Ten this season to record a 30-kill game.
FOLLOW THE LEADER
- Senior Taylor Louis continues to lead the country in active career kills. Louis’ 1,881 career kills leads the NCAA by 104 (Carlisa May, Arkansas State) and is 134 kills ahead of the country’s third leading player (Jaali Winters; Creighton).
- In her career, Louis has 1,859 total kills, with 711 kills coming in a Hawkeye uniform.
JONES’ STEADY PRESENCE IN THE MIDDLE
- Freshman Amiya Jones has proven to be a staple in the middle of Iowa’s lineup.
- Jones is the only freshman to have started in all 25 matches for the Hawkeyes this season.
- Jones holds a .296 hitting percentage with 126 kills and 78 total blocks through her first season at Iowa.
GOING THE DISTANCE
- In 2018, Iowa has played six matches that have lasted five sets, going 3-3 with wins over Northwestern, Wisconsin, and Syracuse, and dropping 3-2 losses to Lipscomb, Purdue, and Northwestern.
- The Hawkeyes have played in a fifth set in four of their last nine matches.
- In Iowa’s six five-set matches, the team first to score eight points has won each match.
- Iowa’s 94 total sets played are the fourth most in the Big Ten this year.
IT’S STILL A HAWKEYE STATE
- The Hawkeyes broke a 21-year old road drought Sept. 14, defeating Iowa State in four sets (25-20, 25-21, 23-25, 25-20) at the Cyclone Classic in Ames, Iowa.
- It is the first time Iowa has won in Ames since Sept. 13, 1997.
HAWKEYES TAKE DOWN NO. 6 WISCONSIN
- The Hawkeyes defeated No. 6 Wisconsin in five sets on Oct. 6 for the team’s first win over a ranked opponent this season.
- It is Iowa’s first win over Wisconsin since Nov. 11, 2009.
- Junior Cali Hoye led Iowa with a career-high 30 kills and sophomore Brie Orr tied a career-high with 59 assists.
THESE HAWKEYES ARE HANDY WITH BROOMS
- The Hawkeyes are 7-5 this season in games that have gone three sets.
- Iowa has swept Belmont, South Dakota State, Drake, Eastern Illinois, Michigan State, and Rutgers twice.
- Iowa recorded two sweeps at the Drake Invitational on Sept. 8, defeating South Dakota State and Drake before sweeping Eastern Illinois in its home opener on Sept. 9. The last time Iowa swept three different teams in the span of two days was Sept. 19-20, 2008 (Portland, DePaul, Tulsa).
SCOUTING NO. 6 NEBRASKA
- Nebraska enters Wednesday’s match at 18-6 (9-5 Big Ten).
- Nebraska leads the Big Ten in opponent hitting percentage, limiting opponents to .131.
- Nebraska is much more vulnerable on the road this season. The Cornhuskers hold a 4-3 record in opponents buildings, while boasting a 14-3 record at home.
- Iowa fell to Nebraska 3-1 on Oct. 3.
- Iowa’s second set victory was the first set Iowa has taken from Nebraska since 1987.
- Overall, Iowa is 0-29 against Nebraska.
SCOUTING MICHIGAN STATE
- Michigan State is 15-12 on the season and 3-11 in conference play.
- The Spartans rank fourth in the Big Ten this season with 142 service aces and 1.48 service aces per set.
- Iowa defeated Michigan State, 3-0, in their first matchup of the season on Sept. 21 in Iowa City.
- Overall, Iowa is 25-49 against Michigan State.
SHYMANSKY MILESTONE WATCH
- Head coach Bond Shymansky’s 76 wins at Iowa is third in program history. He passed former head coach Sharon Dingman earlier this season (66).
- Shymansky passed Rita Buck-Crockett for third on Iowa’s all-time Big Ten wins list with his 26th victory over Northwestern on Sept. 30.
- Shymansky trails Linda Shoenstedt for second in Iowa history with 85 wins and trails Sandy Stewart’s 136 wins for most in program history.
FACING THE BEST
- Iowa faces seven teams currently ranked in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) week 10 poll – Minnesota (3), Illinois (4), Nebraska (6), Penn State (7), Wisconsin (8), Purdue (12), Michigan (15), and Washington (25)
- The Hawkeyes’ schedule features 11 teams that reached the 2017 NCAA Tournament.
- The nonconference schedule included three teams that competed at the 2017 NCAA Tournament, including Iowa State, Colorado, and Washington.
- Iowa will play all eight Big Ten NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago. Those teams combined to go 206-64 in 2017.
TRUE MENTAL TOUGHNESS
The Hawkeyes continue their True Mental Toughness mantra in 2018. Bond Shymansky’s squad defines true mental toughness as having a great attitude, treating others really, really well, being unconditionally grateful regardless of your circumstances, and giving your very, very best.
THE PREMIER CONFERENCE
The Big Ten Conference has had an NCAA champion in nine of the last 14 years.
Eight teams – Penn State, Michigan, Nebraska, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Purdue, and Michigan State – appeared in the 2017 NCAA Tournament.
BIG TEN NETWORK
Iowa will play on the Big Ten Network for a third time this season. Iowa’s match against Nebraska on Nov. 7 will air live on the Big Ten Network.
SEASON TICKETS ON SALE
Season tickets and general admission tickets for Iowa’s home matches are on sale at the UI athletics ticket office and online at hawkeyesports.com/tickets. Season tickets for reserved seating is $45 and general admission season tickets are $30.
