COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The University of Iowa volleyball team was edged by Air Force, 3-2, on Friday evening at the Air Force Academy in the Mile High Invitational.
Courtney Buzzerio posted a match-best 21 kills. Bailey Ortega set a new career high leading the squad in assists with 57, and Maddie Slagle totaled a team-best 17 digs.
HOW IT HAPPENED
SET 1 (Iowa, 25-20): The Hawkeyes raced out to a 5-0 advantage to open the match. Air Force battled back tying things at eight apiece. The score went back-and-forth as both teams held even leading to a 15-15 score. Iowa pulled out to a lead, which it maintained, taking the first set by a five-point margin.
SET 2 (Air Force, 28-26): The score was tight through the first part of the set before the Hawkeyes rattled off a 5-0 run to take a 16-10 lead. Iowa extended its lead to 18-12 before Air Force would go on a run of its own to even things at 20-20. Both teams stayed in it as the score rose to 26-26 before Air Force was finally able to notch the set on back-to-back kills.
SET 3 (Air Force, 25-21): The Falcons opened the set taking a 6-3 lead. The Hawkeyes scored four straight narrowing the Air Force lead to one and making the score, 13-12. The home team responded with a 4-0 run of its own making the score, 17-12. Iowa responded with another 4-0 run to cut the lead to 18-17, before the Falcons pulled away and take a 2-1 lead in the match.
SET 4 (Iowa, 25-20): The Hawkeyes maintained a one-point lead through the beginning of the fourth set. They pushed the lead to 14-10 on back-to-back service aces by Buzzerio. The lead grew to 18-13 forcing a Falcons timeout. A 3-0 Falcon run trimmed the Hawkeye lead to three, but Air Force was never able to cut the deficit and the Hawkeyes forced a fifth set.
SET 5 (Air Force, 15-5): The fifth and final set saw Air Force build a steady lead. The Falcons built a 9-3 cushion and the Hawkeyes were never able to cool off the Falcons who hit .583 in the final set to win the match.
NOTABLES
- The Hawkeyes had won seven sets in a row prior to the second set of tonight’s match.
- Ortega is the first Hawkeye to record 50 or more assists since Buzzerio did so in 2019.
- Three Hawkeyes recorded double-digit kills: Buzzerio (21), Clayton (17), and Hansen (11). It was the third 20-kill game of the season for Buzzerio.
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes face Denver in Denver, Colorado, tomorrow in the final game of the Mile High Invitational. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. (CT).