COLUMBUS, Ohio –The University of Iowa Volleyball team fell, 3-0, in its first match against Ohio State on Friday night inside the Covelli Center.
Junior middle blocker Amiya Jones made her season debut and started for the Hawkeyes, registering four kills and one block. Sophomore libero Joslyn Boyer recorded a game-high 19 digs and sophomore outside hitter Edina Schmidt tallied a team-high eight kills.
HOW IT HAPPENED
SET 1 (Ohio State, 25-17): Ohio State opened the match with a 6-0 run, but Jones stopped the bleeding with her first kill of the season. The Hawkeyes slowly chipped away to bring the set within one, 13-12, after Jones, sophomore Blythe Rients, and freshman Audrey Black were credited with a block. Six different Hawkeyes recorded a kill in the first set, but the Buckeyes regained control of the set, taking a 21-16 lead, before finishing off the first set with a 4-1 run.
SET 2 (Ohio State, 25-15): Ohio State jumped out the gate with a 7-1 lead, but again, the Hawkeyes responded. Iowa was able to cut into the Ohio State, trailing 11-9 thanks to back-to-back errors by the Buckeyes. Trailing 19-13, Iowa tried to slow down the Buckeyes with a timeout, but Ohio State outscored Iowa 14-5 after closing the gap in the middle of the set.
SET 3 (Ohio State, 25-21): Iowa trailed 6-2 and 13-7 to start the set, but the Hawkeyes rallied all the way back with three straight kills from Buzzerio, Rients, and Schmidt to trail by only three, 19-16. Schmidt’s sixth kill of the third set cut Iowa’s deficit to one, trailing 21-20. The Buckeyes would take four of the next five points to take the set and the match.
HEAR FROM HEAD COACH VICKI BROWN
“Joslyn Boyer, Edina Schmidt, and Blythe Rients showed a lot of heart tonight. We started out each set offensively out of rhythm. In this conference, it’s an uphill climb to find it during the match. We have to use tonight and tomorrow morning to get back to our grit mentality.”
NOTABLE
- Junior Hannah Clayton hit above .300 for her fourth straight game, with four kills on 13 total attacks.
- Five different Hawkeyes recorded one ace to mark the fourth time this season Iowa has totaled at least five aces.
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes will face the Buckeyes tomorrow at 4 p.m. (CT) inside the Covelli Center.