Hawkeyes Push No. 3 Nittany Lions on Worden's Career Night

Hawkeyes Push No. 3 Nittany Lions on Worden's Career Night

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The University of Iowa volleyball team dropped a four-set match to third-ranked Penn State inside Rec Hall on Friday night. The Hawkeyes fall to 9-15 on the season and 3-9 in conference play.

Redshirt freshman Alyssa Worden had a career night with 14 digs and 10 kills. Sophomore Hannah Whittingstall recorded seven kills, no errors, three aces and two blocks. Senior Gracie Gibson registered eight blocks and five kills. Junior Claire Ammeraal had five kills, hitting at a team high .375 clip. This was the lone meeting between the ranked Nittany Lions and Hawkeyes for the 2024 season.

HEAR FROM HEAD COACH JIM BARNES
“Our team competed very hard today. We served, passed and blocked very well. We also learned some valuable lessons to help us moving forward.
Alyssa (Worden) played very well in her first start playing all six rotations. We are improving.”

MATCH SUMMARY
SET ONE (PENN STATE 25-19)
Iowa got out to an early 2-1 lead with kills from middle hitters Gibson and Whittingstall. The race to 10 was tight with neither team finding much separation. Penn State would reach ten first with the Hawkeyes quick to follow on a kill from Gibson, to tie the set at 10-10. Penn State would be able to find a 7-1 run to go up 17-11. Iowa could not close the gap but fended off two set points with kills from Whittingstall and Ammeraal before they fell in set one to the Nittany Lions.

SET TWO (IOWA 25-20)
The Hawkeyes got out to an early 5-3 over the Nittany Lions, holding the lead for the rest of the set. Iowa won the race to 10, off a 5-2 run, ending with a kill from Worden to go up 10-6. Iowa continued to string together short runs to take control of the set. Penn State would find a 3-0 run to get within one at 18-17, but it would not be enough to stop the Hawkeyes as they closed the set on a kill from freshman Malu Garcia off a block touch. The Hawkeyes hit .364 with 16 kills on 33 swings and only four errors in the set.

SET THREE (PENN STATE 25-17)
A block from Garcia and Gibson got the Hawkeyes an early 1-0 lead. Both teams traded points, tying the set at 4-4 before Penn State used an 8-1 run to lead 12-5. After a few points, Iowa would find its own 6-0 run to come within two at 16-14. Penn State would take a timeout, and respond with its own 7-0 run, to lead 21-12. Iowa could not string together another run and Penn State would close out the set, to lead 2-1 in the match.

SET FOUR (PENN STATE 25-16)
After starting down 2-0, Iowa used small runs to lead 4-3 on kills from Worden and Whittingstall. The Nittany Lions went on a 6-1 run to lead 9-5. Iowa fought back to get within one at 11-10 before Penn State found separation after a few kills at 16-12. The Hawkeyes battled but could not close the gap. Penn State closed the match on a 9-4 run to claim victory.

UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes return to the Midwest, heading to Madison to take on Wisconsin on Nov. 8. Iowa wraps up the weekend at Xtream Arena on Nov. 10, hosting Northwestern for Military Appreciation Day. Both matches will stream on B1G+ and Hawkeye Radio Network.