Hawkeyes Fall in Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series

AMES, Iowa – University of Iowa volleyball fell to Iowa State, 3-1, in the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series on Wednesday night at Hilton Coliseum. The Hawkeyes are now 4-2 on the season.

Freshman Malu Garcia recorded a career-best 15 kills, hitting at a .344 clip. Redshirt freshman Alyssa Worden tallied a career-high six service aces. Sophomore Hannah Whittingstall recorded six kills with a .286 hitting percentage. Defensively, senior Joy Galles recorded 10 digs on the night, holding down the back court.

HEAR FROM COACH BARNES
“We obviously came out tight. We didn’t handle the crowd and atmosphere very well to start. Once we started playing our game, we took the third set with great efforts from Malu (Garcia) and Alyssa (Worden). We need to learn how to come out loose and aggressive and play our game from the whistle.”

MATCH SUMMARY

SET ONE (IOWA STATE 25-10)
After dropping the first point, Claire Ammeraal connected with Whittingstall to get Iowa’s first point of the night. The Cyclones would go on a 4-0 run, forcing an Iowa timeout at 5-1. Ammeraal capitalized after the timeout with a kill bringing the Hawkeyes within three at 5-2. Iowa struggled from the service line, while Iowa State settled in offensively. The Hawkeyes were unable to erase an early deficit to counter Iowa State. Iowa would fall in the opening set to the Cyclones.

SET TWO (IOWA STATE 25-19)
The Hawkeyes and Cyclones traded points throughout the beginning of the second set. Two kills from Garcia tied the set at 2-2. Iowa state would go on a 3-0 run but a kill from senior Michelle Urquhart would bring the Hawkeyes within two at 5-3. Both teams would continue to trade kills, each trying to break away from one another. Iowa state would go up by four before an attacking error and two aces from Worden pulled the Hawkeyes within one at 10-9. The Cyclones would go on another run, giving Iowa a few points off of service errors but were able to get some separation at 18-13, forcing an Iowa timeout. Iowa State remained in control for the rest of the set, with the Hawkeyes trying to start a run with kills from Garcia and Urquhart sandwiched around an ace from Worden. The Hawkeyes ultimately dropped the set.

SET THREE (IOWA 25-19)
With their backs against the wall, the Hawkeyes battled with the Cyclones to extend the match. After Iowa State went up 3-1, a kill by Garcia and a Hawkeye block tied the game at 3-3. The match remained tight until the Hawkeyes went on a 5-0 run led by two kills from Garcia and two aces from Worden. After expanding the lead to 13-8, the Hawkeyes would not look back and remained dominant for the remainder of the set. Garcia recorded three more kills and Urquhart closed the set with a kill.

SET FOUR (IOWA STATE 25-18)
Iowa dropped the first two points of the set but kills from Whittingstall and Garcia brought the Hawkeyes within one at 3-2. Iowa State pulled away but two kills from Deery would close the gap at 11-7. After a timeout at 13-7, the Hawkeyes and Cyclones continued to go back and forth trading kills. Late kills by Garcia gave Iowa the serve back but the Hawkeyes were unable to put together a run to extend the match. Iowa State took the fourth set and won the match.

UP NEXT: The Hawkeye travel to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to play in the Panther Invitational hosted by UW-Milwaukee. Iowa will play Friday against St. Thomas at 4:00 p.m. (CT), Saturday at noon against Illinois State and will close the weekend on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. against UW-Milwaukee.