Hawkeyes Roll Rebels in Season Opener

LAS VEGAS – University of Iowa volleyball rolled UNLV in a sweep inside Cox Pavilion to open the 2025 season on Friday night.

Iowa is 4-0 in season openers under head coach Jim Barnes. This was the first meeting between Iowa and UNLV.

Senior newcomer Chard’e Vanzandt led the team with 11 kills, while hitting a .222 clip. Junior Hannah Whittingstall and freshman Carmel Vares created a wall at the net with eight and seven blocks, respectively. Senior Claire Ammeraal spread out her 28 assists and hit a team-high .462. Senior Milana Moisio anchored the defense with 11 digs.

HEAR FROM HEAD COACH JIM BARNES 
"The team was able to pull together and we showed a lot of toughness tonight. We executed well on defense tonight, which allowed us to stay in the game. Claire (Ammeraal) was a difference maker throughout the match and was able to give us some momentum by putting a few balls away. Carmel (Vares), Hannah (Whittingstall) and Chard’e (Vanzandt) stayed consistent for us offensively, and helped to close out each set.”

MATCH SUMMARY
SET ONE (IOWA 25-22)
Iowa started the match on a 4-0 run with kills from redshirt sophomore Alyssa Worden and Vares, and a block from Whittingstall and Vares. Back-to-back blocks by Worden pushed the Hawkeyes up 7-1 and the Rebels called a timeout. Iowa sprinted out to 9-1 lead before UNLV answered with four consecutive points. UNLV settled into the set, trading points before it pulled within one at 13-12 and Iowa called a timeout. The set was tied at 15 all before a Worden block gave Iowa the lead. Despite an unsuccessful challenge from Iowa, back-to-back UNLV service errors put the Hawkeyes up 21-18. Two blocks from Vares and Whittingstall closed out the set for the Hawkeyes.

SET TWO (IOWA 25-21)
UNLV got two quick points before the Hawkeyes responded with three kills to tie the set at 3 all. After trading points with the Rebels, Iowa won the race to 10 and led by three. UNLV responded with a 7-1 run to go in front, 14-11. The Hawkeyes remained resilient after a timeout and pulled within one at 16-15 off a block by Vares and Whittingstall and a Worden kill. UNLV called a timeout after a Vanzandt kill tied the set at 17 all. Both teams went kill-for-kill, until Iowa was able to pull away at 23-20 on Worden and Vares kills. Iowa halted a Rebel comeback and finished the set on a Vares kill and block by Vares and Whittingstall.

SET THREE (IOWA 25-21)
Neither team was able to find much separation through the first 20 points. A Vares kill and a pair of hitting errors from the Rebels pushed Iowa to a 12-9 lead. UNLV inched closer at 12-11, but Iowa responded with a 3-0 run to go up 15-11. Iowa’s first ace of the match came from sophomore Jamie Marquardt to build Iowa’s lead to 17-12. Regardless of any UNLV run, Iowa responded and kept its distance from UNLV in the third set. A spurt from UNLV was answered by back-to-back Ammeraal kills. Two powerful swings from Vanzandt moved the Hawkeyes within position of securing the win. UNLV saved a couple of match points but Iowa stayed composed and finished the match with a kill from Vanzandt. The Hawkeyes’ defense held UNLV’s offense to only a .028 hitting percentage in the final set.

Up Next: The Hawkeyes are back in action Saturday evening at 6:00 p.m. (CT) against Utah Tech. The match will be streamed on the UNLV Athletics YouTube channel and broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network with John Evans on the call.