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STATE COLLEGE, Penn. — Junior Brie Orr became the seventh player in program history to record 3,000 career assists, but the University of Iowa volleyball team (7-8, 1-2) fell to No. 5 Penn State (10-3, 3-1) in three sets inside Rec Hall on Saturday night.
Orr tallied 32 assists as she now has 3,018 career assists and sophomore Courtney Buzzerio paced Iowa with 13 kills. Junior Halle Johnston recorded 10 digs.
HOW IT HAPPENED
SET 1 (25-19) |Iowa scored the match’s first point off a Penn State service error as both teams went back-and-forth through the first five points. Penn State gained the edge at 8-12 before a three-point run pulled Iowa within one point. A quick, two-point strike forced Iowa to call a timeout, trailing 12-15. Iowa hung in the set until the very end when two Penn State blocks and an Iowa attack error gave the Nittany Lions enough breathing room to finish the set.
SET 2 (25-17) | Penn State began the second set with a kill and two aces to put Iowa on its heels early. The Hawkeyes responded with an Amiya Jones kill, but Iowa couldn’t close the gap. Junior Brie Orr tallied her 3,000th career assist on a Hannah Clayton kill to bring Iowa within two points at 7-5. Back-to-back errors by Iowa gave Penn State the advantage and forced its first timeout of the set. Iowa struggled to convert at the net with Penn State’s blockers creating problems. After a Nittany Lion ace, Iowa called its second timeout as it looked to attempt a comeback, but Penn State shut down any attempt to take set two.
SET 3 (25-21) | Penn State took an early lead, but two-straight kills from sophomore Courtney Buzzerio gave Iowa its first lead of the set at 8-7. Penn State regained the lead as Iowa called its first timeout at 11-13. Out of the timeout, points didn’t come easy for both sides with long rallies as both teams appeared evenly matched in the set. Iowa called its second timeout of the set, down 18-20. Iowa turned around and forced a quick Penn State timeout after grinding its way through two out-of-system rallies to bring the score within one point, 22-21. The Nittany Lions proved to be too much and recorded three-straight kills to end the set and take the match.
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes host Michigan on Oct. 11 inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena at 7 p.m. (CT). Tickets are available at hawkeyesports.com/tickets or over the phone at 800-IA-HAWKS.
