Hawkeyes Outlast Illini in Champaign

Champaign, Ill. – University of Iowa volleyball took down Illinois in five sets on Sunday afternoon inside a sold-out Huff Hall. It is Iowa’s first win in Champaign since 2005 and first over the Illini since 2016. The Hawkeyes improve to 13-11 overall and 4-8 in the Big Ten.

The Hawkeyes claimed the first two sets, 25-19 and 25-22. Illinois forced a fifth set after winning the third and fourth sets, 25-19 and 25-15. Iowa secured the decider, 15-10.

Iowa’s win was its third five-set victory of the season. The Hawkeyes improved to 11-1 when winning the first set.

Redshirt sophomore Alyssa Worden recorded her fourth-straight double-double in the victory. Worden tallied 14 digs and 11 kills and hit at a .320 clip. Senior setter Claire Ammeraal closed in on a double-double with 53 assists and nine digs.

Iowa continued to utilize all options in the front row, with four Hawkeyes in double-digit kill figures. Graduate Chard’e Vanzandt led the team with 19 kills. She also added seven digs and four blocks. Junior Hannah Whittingstall terminated 13 kills and hit a team-high .333. The reigning league defensive player of the week had a team-best five blocks in the win. Freshman Carmel Vares made an impact at the pin with 11 kills on 26 swings, good for a .308 hitting percentage.

As a team, Iowa held the advantage in most statistical categories, recording more kills (63-56), a higher hitting percentage (.242 - .196), more assists (58-50) and more blocks (9.0-7.0). From the service line, each team had nine service errors, but Illinois held the advantage in aces (9-2).

HEAR FROM HEAD COACH JIM BARNES
“We knocked out our first goal, which was winning set one. Then, we took down another goal, which was winning set five. I was proud of our team today. We came into a full house and a tough environment and had to earn everything. Heading into the fifth, we had to simplify. It is easy to overthink it in those moments. We showed that we wanted the ball, the serve, the set, the pass. We played the type of volleyball we’re capable of, especially in those first two sets.”

MATCH SUMMARY
SET ONE (IOWA 25-19)
Iowa trailed 3-2 early in the set, but went on a 7-0 run with sophomore Jaimie Marquardt at the service line. Illinois called a timeout to halt the run, as Iowa led 9-3. The Hawkeyes won the race to 10 off a tip kill from Whittingstall. Iowa continued to build their lead, using a Vanzandt kill and Illinois error to go up 12-4. Iowa led 16-9 before a brief rally from the Illini tightened the set at 16-11. Whittingstall quieted the crowd on the next play with a kill out of the middle. Illinois was able to hang around on a pair of Iowa errors, Hawkeyes leading 17-13. The Hawkeyes regained control of the set on a kill from Worden to lead 19-14. An Illinois service error helped Iowa take a four-point lead at 20-16. Iowa led 22-17 when Illinois called its second timeout. Whittingstall’s fifth kill sealed the set and the Hawkeyes earned their first opening-set win since the conference opener against Maryland. Iowa hit a .312 clip, while holding Illinois to a .161 clip. Iowa played sideout volleyball to carry momentum throughout the set after opening an early lead.

SET TWO (IOWA 25-22)
Iowa got out to an early 3-1 lead after the officials reversed a no-touch call. Illinois quickly tied the set, but served the ball wide to give Iowa the 4-3 advantage. Iowa won another challenge on a kill from Vanzandt down the line to tie the set at 5-5. Both teams stayed connected to one another throughout the set. At the media stoppage, Iowa led 15-13 on an Ammeraal solo block and Illinois error. Iowa gained its largest advantage of the set at 16-13 on a block from sophomore Aleksandra Stojanovic and Worden. The Illini were able to tie the set on an Iowa error at 17-17. Stojanovic smacked a kill to prevent a lead change on the next point. An Illinois ace leveled the set at 19-19 and Iowa called a timeout. Both teams remained tied at 20-20 before Vanzandt took over, terminating two kills, during a 4-0 Iowa run to give the Hawkeyes set point. The Illini saved two set points before Ammeraal dumped to the campfire to win the set. Throughout the set, there were 15 ties, but only four lead changes.

SET THREE (ILLINOIS 25-20)
Illinois responded in the third set with a 4-1 run to lead early. Vanzandt picked up back-to-back kills from the left side to bring Iowa within one at 4-3. Whittingstall punished an over pass to tie the set. Another run from Illinois gave the Illini early control in the set. Iowa trailed 11-6 when kills from Worden and Vares brought the Hawkeyes within three. Iowa stayed in the fight with a kill from Vares, block by Whittingstall and Vanzandt and an Illini error to trail 16-14. A kill from Vanzandt got a first ball sideout to bring Iowa within two once more at 17-15. Iowa fought back after trailing by as many as five points and Illinois called a timeout after Worden buried a set-tying kill. The Illini won three points in a row and Iowa took a timeout to halt their momentum at 21-18. Illinois ended the set on a 7-2 run after the frame was tied at 18-18.

SET FOUR (ILLINOIS 25-15)
Illinois started with a 5-0 run and Iowa called an early timeout. Vanzandt got the Hawkeyes on the board in the fourth. Iowa’s first ace of the match came off the hand of Meitzler, but the Hawkeyes trailed, 13-9. Illinois led 17-10 when the Hawkeyes called their final timeout to regroup. Illinois won the set wire-to-wire and hit a match-high .458, while holding Iowa to a .129 percentage. The Illini block was more influential in this set, recording three blocks.

SET FIVE (IOWA 15-10)
Worden rolled a kill down the line to even the set at 1-1. A Vares kill broke a 3-3 deadlock to give Iowa the lead. After a long rally, Iowa won the point after Illinois hit wide. Illinois was unsuccessful with its challenge of the call and Iowa led 5-3. Illinois picked up back-to-back kills to tie the set at 5-5. Vanzandt responded with back-to-back kills of her own to give Iowa a 7-5 advantage. Iowa was able to reverse a no-touch call to pull ahead 8-7 at the change of ends. Tied at eight, Iowa went on a 4-0 run to find some much needed separation. Vanzandt terminated out of the back row to grow Iowa’s lead to 13-9. Worden used a big swing to seal the match for the Hawkeyes. Iowa hit a scorching, match-high .368 in the decisive set and held Illinois to a .105 clip.

Up Next: Iowa (13-11, 4-8 B1G) travels to No. 24 Indiana on Friday night in Bloomington. First serve is scheduled for 5 p.m. (CT) inside Wilkinson Hall. The match will be streamed on B1G+ and the Hawkeye Radio Network.