CORALVILLE, Iowa — University of Iowa volleyball swept Middle Tennessee State University, 3-0, Friday evening inside Xtreme Arena in Coralville, Iowa.
Fifth year Caitlin Buettner led the way for the Hawkeyes with 17 kills, posted a clip of .424, and two aces. Senior Delaney McSweeney posted 12 kills and led the team with a clip of .714. Junior Sydney Dennisalso had a game for the books, recording 17 digs and three aces. The duo, Buettner and Davis, posted three blocks together.
HOW IT HAPPENED
SET 1 (Iowa, 29-27): Iowa opened the match strong with a kill by McSweeney, giving the assist to Bailey Ortega. Another kill by McSweeney and assist by Ortega led Iowa to a 3-0 lead right off the bat. Middle Tennessee closed the gap early, but McSweeney responded with yet another kill. Ortega stretched the lead to 9-3 with a sneaky dump across the net, and Anna Davis came through swinging from the right side with a kill to double Middle Tennessee’s score. After subbing back in, Ortega assisted McSweeney in the middle for another kill, making it 16-13. As the set progressed Middle Tennessee tied it up at 23-all. Iowa took a timeout and came back to tie five more times before the Hawkeyes finally secured the victory, 29-27.
SET 2 (Iowa, 25-18): Middle Tennessee jumped out quick to take the lead, but the Hawkeyes settled in with a kill by Buettner and an ace by Dennis. Iowa went on a four-point run after three consecutive kills and an error by Middle Tennessee, bringing Iowa’s lead to 7-4. After a timeout by the Blue Raiders, Nataly Moravec added a kill to the board for the Hawkeyes. Both teams battled back and forth, but the Hawkeyes were able to pull ahead with a 19-11 lead. Buettner and McSweeney delivered back-to-back kills, expanding the lead, 22-13. Middle Tennessee gained momentum, bringing its deficit to six, but Iowa secured the set with a kill from Buettner, assisted by Ortega.
SET 3 (Iowa, 25-11): Middle Tennessee opened the third set with a kill, but Iowa quickly earned that point back and posted back-to-back aces by junior Michelle Urquhart and Dennis. The Hawkeyes quickly jumped to a 12-5 lead after a kill by Davis, assisted by freshman Kaia Mateo. In her freshman debut Rosa Vestystood strong in the middle for a kill, expanding the lead, 13-5, and sending Middle Tennessee into a timeout. After the timeout, the Blue Raiders earned a set of points, but Vesty and Moravec stopped the streak with an impressive block. Vesty continued with another kill out of the middle, sending Middle Tennessee into another timeout. The Hawkeye freshmen came to play, as Gabby Deery made her Hawkeye debut, getting a set of kills from the right side and a block to bring the score to 23-10. Iowa quickly secured the match after a kill from Buettner.
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes return to Xtream Arena tomorrow, Sept. 2, facing Kent State in round two of the Fryfest Invitational. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT on B1G+.
