MILWAUKEE, Wis. – University of Iowa volleyball dropped a four-set match to St. Thomas on Friday afternoon at the J. Martin Klotsche Center. The Hawkeyes fall to 4-3 on the season.
Three Hawkeyes recorded more than ten kills tonight; senior Gracie Gibson had 11 kills and hit at a .435 clip, freshman Malu Garcia registered 11 kills and freshman Dominique Phills recorded a career-best 12 kills. Freshman Jenna Meitzler made her Iowa debut, tallying 16 assists. Senior Joy Galles led the defense with 19 digs.
MATCH SUMMARY
SET ONE (ST. THOMAS 25-19)
Iowa and St. Thomas began the match trading points. The Tommies would go on a three-point run before a kill from Gibson would give the Hawkeyes the ball back at 6-4. Both teams would trade kills before Iowa went on a 6-0, taking the lead at 12-9. St. Thomas countered with a run of its own to lead 14-12, forcing Iowa to take a timeout. Coming out of the timeout, Phills recorded a kill to get the Hawkeyes within one. The Tommies would continue to push out of the reach of the Hawkeyes. Two kills from Garcia and a kill from Gibson briefly rallied the Hawkeyes but they could not start a run. A kill from sophomore Hannah Whittingstall would save a set point at 24-19, but the Tommies would be able to push one across and win set one.
SET TWO (ST. THOMAS 25-23)
St. Thomas built an early lead, going up 8-3, before a kill by Gibson got the Hawkeyes within four. A couple more points were traded before the Hawkeyes were able to go on a 3-0 run with an ace and kill from Garcia to get within three at 11-8. Iowa took control of the middle of the set, going on a 5-0 run to take the lead at 16-14 with kills from Gibson and Garcia. St. Thomas countered to tie the frame and make a run of its own late in the set. Iowa would push three across the board with two kills from junior Claire Ammeraal to come within one at 23-22. St. Thomas was able to finish the set and go up two sets to none.
SET THREE (IOWA 26-24)
The Hawkeyes and Tommies battled it out throughout set three. Iowa was able to go on an early 6-1 run, putting them up 8-4 on kills from Gibson and Garcia. The Tommies would go on their own 3-0 run to tie the score, yet a kill by Urquhart put the Hawkeyes ahead at 12-11. Both teams would trade kills until St. Thomas went on a 6-0 run to force both of Iowa’s timeouts, the second one at 19-15. Out of the second timeout, Gibson would terminate the run, giving Iowa the opportunity to go on its own 5-0 run to tie the set back at 19-19. The set would remain tight with each team trading kills, until Iowa was able to put two points across with a kill from Phills and an error from the Tommies to win the third set.
SET FOUR (ST. THOMAS 25-19)
The Hawkeyes took an early 2-1 lead with a kill from Phills and ace from Whittingstall. St. Thomas would put pressure on the Hawkeyes with a 7-1 run to take a 10-4 lead. Iowa responded with two kills from Urquhart and a kill from Whittingstall to bring the deficit to three at 12-9. St. Thomas would continue to break away despite kills from Meitzler and Gibson. The Tommies would finish the match on a 4-0 run to take the set and the match.
UP NEXT: The Hawkeyes face off against Illinois State Saturday at noon in their second match of the Panther Invitational.