Iowa Drops Home Opener to Colorado

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IOWA CITY, Iowa — The University of Iowa volleyball team (3-1, 0-0) fell to the Colorado Buffaloes (3-1, 0-0), 3-0 on Friday night in the first day of the Big Ten/Pac-12 Challenge inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Junior Brie Orr led Iowa with 31 assists, while senior Meghan Buzzerio chipped in 13 kills, and junior Halle Johnston notched 25 digs.

HEAR FROM COACH BROWN
“I thought our outside hitter and senior captain Meghan Buzzerio did a good job of maintaining her pass, serve, and attack. She led us with 13 kills. We threw Kyndra Hansen in the second set and its not always easy for a freshman to come in and connect with the team, but she did a good job and made some good offensive and defensive plays. We asked Courtney Buzzerio to come in and step up. We knew they were going to be fighting outside, so I thought she did a good job finding the ball and getting into a rhythm.”

HOW IT HAPPENED
SET 1 (25-22) | Iowa spotted Colorado early in the first set, trailing 1-4 before sophomore Hannah Clayton earned Iowa’s first kill of the night. Clayton added a season-high 9 kills. The Hawkeyes struggled to close within three points of Colorado’s lead, but after back-to-back kills from Meghan Buzzerio, Iowa trailed 19-20. Following a Colorado timeout, the Buffaloes scored two quick kills to gain separation and take the first set.

SET 2 (25-20) | Iowa and Colorado traded leads in the second, but a quick rally by Colorado gave them a five-point lead at 7-12. Iowa tried to get the lead back with a flurry of kills by Courtney Buzzerio, Meghan Buzzerio, and Clayton, but after a timeout by Colorado, the Buffaloes extended their lead. Iowa couldn’t keep up and dropped the second set.

SET 3 (25-23) | Iowa gave it everything it had in the third set, not letting Colorado gain more than a three-point advantage. A kill by Courtney Buzzerio gave Iowa its first lead of the night at 11-10 and the Hawkeyes extended their lead to 14-11, but a Colorado timeout shifted momentum the other way. With the score knotted at 21, a block by Colorado gave it the lead and the Buffaloes never relinquished it, taking the last set 25-23.

NOTABLES

  • Freshman Kyndra Hansen set a career-high with two kills.
  • Junior Halle Johnston tallied a career-high 25 digs.
  • Junior Brie Orr added a season-high three block assists.

UP NEXT
Iowa concludes the Big Ten/Pac-12 Challenge tomorrow against No. 16 Washington at 7 p.m. (CT). Fans can bring their ticket from the Iowa vs. Rutgers football game for free admission.
 

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