IOWA CITY – The University of Iowa volleyball team (10-21, 4-16) defeated Maryland (13-18, 5-14) in four sets on senior night inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Seniors Meghan Buzzerio and Emily Bushman were honored before the match as the Hawkeyes played their final match inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The team will move to Xtream Arena beginning in 2020.
Three Hawkeyes — freshman Kyndra Hansen (12), sophomore Amiya Jones (11), and junior Griere Hughes (14) — all tallied double-digit kills. Freshman Emma Lowes added 20 assists and junior Halle Johnston registered 13 digs.
“I told the team in the huddle; you will always be the team that won its final match inside Carver. There are always ways in a season to emphasize highlights and strides made throughout their four years here. Offensively, Kyndra (Hansen) will 12 kills and Griere (Hughes) with 14, and Amiya (Jones) with 11, we’ve asked a lot from our offense to get more kills. They are stepping up. Kyndra has been getting more double-digit kill matches and that shows she is getting comfortable in the game as she learns how to score in the Big Ten. It was a good win and good way to end the season.”
SET 1 (25-17) | The first set was a game of runs. Maryland set the pace with a 7-1 run and took a 11-3 lead before Iowa responded with their own 10-1 run to tie the score at 13. Maryland responded with another 7-0 run. Iowa called a timeout down 19-13 to set up a run of their own, but two straight kills from the Terrapins put Iowa behind even further. A combination of kills from junior Griere Hughes and sophomore Courtney Buzzerio closed the gap, but Iowa could not gain another point as Maryland took the first set.
SET 2 (25-20) | The Hawkeyes got revenge in the second set. After falling behind early Iowa came back to tie the score at 8 following an Amiya Jones kill. Maryland gained another four-point advantage to force an Iowa timeout, but the Hawkeye block came alive, notching three blocks to take a 19-17 lead. After tying the score at 19, sophomore Hannah Clayton took over, registering back-to-back kills and a block to give Iowa a lead it would not relinquish. The Hawkeyes took the second set and went into the intermission tied at one set each.
SET 3 (25-22) | Iowa continued to hold the momentum in the third. Iowa never trailed Maryland as the Hawkeyes got out to a 7-1 lead before Maryland was forced to call a timeout. The Terrapins made a late comeback with the Hawkeyes leading 23-17. Maryland closed the gap to 23-20, but a timeout allowed the Hawkeyes to solidify their defense and take set three.
SET 4 (25-19) | Looking to get a final victory inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena, the Hawkeyes and Terrapins traded blows to begin the fourth. Iowa finally found an edge after a Joslyn Boyer ace as Maryland called a timeout. Iowa remained in front and extended its lead, but Maryland battled back to cut Iowa’s lead to one at 17-16. Freshman Blythe Rients notched a kill to give Iowa more breathing room and a kill from Clayton and ace from freshman Emma Lowes proved to be too much as the Hawkeyes closed their season out with a win.
Freshman Kyndra Hansen notched a new career-high hitting .407 (12-1-27).
The Hawkeyes had the edge with 46 assists to Maryland’s 40.
Junior Griere Hughes notched her 19th double-digit kill match of the year.
The Hawkeyes head into the offseason to prepare for the 2020 season. Iowa will debut inside a new arena next season — Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa.
