Iowa Beats Illinois State for Third Straight Sweep

CORALVILLE, Iowa – University of Iowa volleyball picked up its third straight sweep, taking down Illinois State in a thrilling match Friday night at Xtream Arena. Iowa improves to 5-0 on the season and matches its best start since 2016.

In the opening set, Iowa held Illinois State to just three kills and a -.160 hitting percentage.

Sophomore Aleksandra Stojanovic led the team with 10 kills and hit a career-best .714. Senior Claire Ammeraal posted 24 assists and eight kills with a .500 hitting percentage during the match. Senior Milana Moisio recorded 11 digs. Iowa blocked 10 attacks as a team. The Hawkeyes passing and defense was a strength against Illinois State and Iowa was able to side out at 68 percent.

HEAR FROM HEAD COACH JIM BARNES
“Our strategy was to hurt them in the middle and hurt them with Claire, as long as our passing was good enough to do that. It took us a bit, but we finally started getting the balls to the middles. Claire is a difference-maker. Our middles got it going, but then so did theirs. But we have Claire. She had eight kills and that’s what kept us ahead. We have work to do to get better, but this is what we expected.”

MATCH SUMMARY
SET ONE (IOWA 25-19)
A kill from Stojanovic and an ace from Moisio tied the set at 2-2. Illinois State enforced its presence at the net with three early blocks to lead 4-2. After a few back-and-forth points, Ammeraal attacked on two to break early ties on a pair of occasions. Junior Hannah Whittingstall’s first kill gave Iowa an 8-7 lead before she painted an ace on the Redbirds baseline. Neither team was able to find much separation in the opening set. After a long rally, Stojanovic was able to terminate to give Iowa a 12-9 advantage. After a few Redbird errors, the Hawkeyes settled in and put away two kills and an ace to build the lead to 17-11. Iowa won the race to 20 off a Whittlingstall slide. Iowa controlled the set, building its largest lead to seven at 22-15 off a Chard'e Vanzandt kill. The Redbirds responded, but Iowa ultimately took the set on an Illinois State error. The Hawkeyes held the Redbirds to three kills and a -.160 hitting mark.

SET TWO (IOWA 25-17)
Both teams had several errors to start the second set. A powerful swing from Vanzandt gave Iowa a 4-2 lead. Redshirt sophomore Alyssa Worden terminated an Ammeraal assist to push the lead to 7-4. Back-to-back Redbird aces kept the visitors in the set and tied the set at seven all. Vanzandt and Stojanovic teamed up on a block to put Iowa up 12-10. Following the media timeout, Iowa surged forward with kills by Whittingstall and Worden. An ace from sophomore Jamie Marquardt forced an Illinois State timeout at 18-14. The Hawkeyes stayed in control from then on, finishing the set on a 7-3 run. Set point came off a well-rounded play, after a great dig from Moisio and a termination from Vanzandt. Iowa lead wire-to-wire in a set that saw seven ties. The Hawkeyes hit a scorching .407.

SET THREE (IOWA 27-25)
Both teams made multiple runs during a set that saw 12 ties and six lead changes. Whittingstall found the floor to open the set. Iowa went on a 3-0 run on some Redbird errors to lead 9-5. Illinois State responded with four kills to tie the set at 9-9 before Iowa called a timeout. Following the timeout, Iowa used a kill from Ammeraal and a big block from Stojanovic and Ammeraal to push ahead, 11-9. Illinois State used production from the middle to take the lead at 15-13. Another 3-0 run from Iowa put the Hawkeyes up 16-15. Tied 21-21, an Ammeraal dig was sent over and found the floor after a miscommunication on the Redbird side. Stojanovic stayed hot from the middle and tied the set at 23-23. A solo block from Worden gave Iowa its first of three match points. Illinois State stayed alive after a timeout with a kill. Following a Worden kill, Ammeraal and Stojanovic teamed up for a big block to cement the win for Iowa.

Up Next: The Hawkeyes close out the Kwik Star Klassic on Saturday afternoon with a matchup against Loyola. First serve is set for 2:00 p.m. inside Xtream Arena. The match will be streamed on B1G+ and broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network.