Hawkeyes Stun UCLA in 5 Sets

CORALVILLE, Iowa – University of Iowa volleyball held off UCLA in five sets on Saturday night at Xtream Arena (16-25, 26-24, 25-22, 17-25, 15-12). 

The Hawkeyes move to 13-11 overall and 2-8 in Big Ten play. It was Iowa’s first win in five tries over UCLA. The win also snapped a seven-match losing streak. 

Rosa Vesty propelled the Hawkeyes to victory with a career evening. She became the first Hawkeye to record 20 kills this season, setting a new career high in kills and attacks with 20 and 43, respectively. She hit at a .302 clip, while also picking up three blocks and one assist. 

Middle hitter Hannah Whittingstall totalled 15 kills on 28 swings. Hallie Steponaitis and Ksenija Tomic picked up 14 kills apiece. Setter Jenna Meitzler rounded out the offensive attack with one kill. She set the pace with 53 assists, which were her most in a match since Sept. 3 against Mississippi State. She helped the Hawkeyes hit .297. Meitzler scooped up 11 digs to earn her eighth double-double of the season.

Meitzler also joined Whittingstall and Jaimie Marquardt with two service aces. Greta Schlichter came in off the bench to pick up her first service ace of the season. Iowa committed half as many service errors as the Bruins (8-4).

Libero Henlee Moszkowicz anchored the back row with 18 digs, which were her most since Sept. 25 against Ohio State. Allison Berent joined Meitzler with 11 digs. 

Iowa finished with its most blocks in a Big Ten match, holding the edge over UCLA, 11.5-8. Whittingstall led at the net with five blocks, followed by Liv Mogridge and Meitzler with four.

HEAR FROM COACH BARNES
“Thursday we banged the door open, but didn’t walk through it. So, we talked about it before the match today. We need to bang the door open and then force our way through it. UCLA is a really good team. I am so proud of how we stuck together. It was crucial that we limited our errors. We were able to calm down a little better in the fifth set tonight. Rosa (Vesty) got the start tonight because of how well she has been practicing. We are not surprised by her performance tonight. Hallie (Steponaitis) stepped up for us tonight and Hannah (Whittingstall) is our engine that never stops. The crowd was huge. We could feel the fans’ energy. That is what it’s like to fight for Iowa.”

MATCH SUMMARY
SET ONE (UCLA 25-16)
Iowa grabbed an early lead courtesy of a UCLA service error, but the Bruins responded with a 4-0 run. Hannah Whittingstall hammered down an attack to trim the Hawkeyes' deficit to 5-4. A combination of runs by UCLA would make the difference in the first set. Tomic briefly halted the Bruin momentum with a kill, and Whittingstall later slammed down back-to-back kills to make it 19-13. However, UCLA once again put together a run to reach set point. Rosa Vesty fended off set point to make it 24-16, but UCLA closed out the next rally to seal the set win. Whittingstall led the Hawkeyes' offensive effort, tallying five kills in the opening set.

SET TWO (IOWA 26-24)
Iowa capitalized on early Bruin errors and its first service ace of the match by Whittingstall to pull even after UCLA scored the first point. A 4-0 burst pushed UCLA ahead 13-8 and forced an Iowa timeout. Vesty snapped the skid with a kill, sparking a 3-0 run. The Hawkeyes stayed close behind steady net play alongside a Greta Schlichter ace that made it 18-15. Whittingstall and Meitzler added key plays down the stretch to keep Iowa within striking distance. Iowa faced three set points while training 24-21. Out of a UCLA timeout, Tomic slammed home a kill to tie it at 24. Whittingstall then put up a monster block to bring up set point, and Hallie Steponaitis capped the set-deciding 5-0 run with a kill.

SET THREE (IOWA 25-22)
Steponaitis and Liv Mogridge opened the set with a block, and Vesty followed with a kill to begin the set. Once Iowa grabbed the 3-2 lead, it would not look back. Whittingstall then added back-to-back kills. Steponaitis sparked a 3-0 surge that featured a Meitzler block and a Whittingstall ace to extend Iowa's advantage to 9-5. Vesty sent Iowa into the media timeout leading, 15-12. When UCLA pulled within two, Steponaitis answered with consecutive kills to ignite another 3-0 run. Vesty forced a Bruin timeout with a kill that made it 21-16. Vesty and Tomic combined for three late kills to bring up set point. UCLA fended off three straight set points to cut the deficit to 24-22, but Tomic terminated the final rally with a kill to lock up the 25-22 win. Iowa’s defense was relentless with 18 digs in the set.

SET FOUR (UCLA 25-17)
The fourth set featured several early ties, with Mogridge and Vesty giving Iowa the initial 1-0 edge on a block. Meitzler, Tomic and Whittingstall all delivered kills to trade leads with the Bruins. A kill from Steponaitis followed by a Marquardt service ace pushed the Hawkeyes ahead, 11-9. UCLA responded with an 11-2 run to take a 21-14 lead. Tomic snapped the skid with a kill and Iowa trimmed the deficit to 22-17 off a UCLA error, but the Bruins answered by reeling off the final three points to secure the 25-17 set win and force a deciding fifth set.

SET FIVE (IOWA 15-12)
Iowa jumped out to a fast 3-0 lead behind a Marquardt ace and a Vesty block. UCLA responded with four straight points to grab a 4-3 advantage, but Vesty stopped the run with a kill. A Bruin service error brought Iowa level at 5-5. After UCLA pulled ahead 7-5, Tomic put down a kill to begin a crucial 5-0 run. An attack error tied the frame before Whittingstall hammered home a kill to put the Hawkeyes back in front 8-7, prompting a UCLA timeout. Iowa extended the lead out of the break, going up 10-7 on a Steponaitis termination. Whittingstall won a long rally with a kill to make it 11-9, and back-to-back kills from Steponaitis pushed Iowa's cushion to 13-9. Meitzler then delivered a clutch ace to bring up match point at 14-10. Vesty put the finishing touches on the win, crushing her career-high 20th kill to seal the victory. The Hawkeyes were errorless and hit .500, while forcing four UCLA errors.

NOTABLES

• Rosa Vesty set career highs in kills (20) and attacks (43). 
• Vesty was Iowa’s first player to record 20+ kills since Chard’e Vanzandt against Penn State on Nov. 29, 2025.
• Jenna Meitzler recorded her eighth double-double of the season with 52 assists and 11 digs.
• Iowa’s 11.5 blocks were its most in a Big Ten match this season.
• Iowa won despite being out-hit .338 to .297.
• The Hawkeyes moved to 2-2 in five-set matches.
• Iowa improved its record to 1-3 in Big Ten Discover Challenge matches.

Up Next: Iowa (13-11) travels to nationally-ranked Washington on Friday night at 9 p.m. (CT).