CORALVILLE — The Iowa Hawkeye volleyball team overpowered in-state rival Drake in straight sets Wednesday night, rolling to a 25-21, 25-21, 25-17 victory at Xtream Arena.
Iowa improved to 7-3 while completing an unbeaten run against its two in-state opponents. The Hawkeyes did not surrender a set in either match.
Hallie Steponaitis led Iowa’s attack with 11 kills, marking the first time this season she has paced the Hawkeyes in that category. She hit .333 and added a service ace.
Hannah Whittingstall and Liv Mogridge each supplied nine kills. Whittingstall attacked at a blistering .615 clip, while Mogridge hit .412.
Setter Jenna Meitzler directed an Iowa offense that produced a season-best .367 hitting percentage. She finished with 34 assists, four kills, two service aces and three blocks.
Iowa also controlled the action at the net, out-blocking Drake 9-3. Whittingstall led the Hawkeyes with five blocks, while Ksenija Tomic established a season high with four.
“Our serving was the catalyst,” Iowa head coach Jim Barnes said. “We got better each set, which is what I wanted to see.”
Drake grabbed an early advantage in the opening set, but Iowa gradually found its rhythm. Tomic’s kill delivered the Hawkeyes’ first lead at 14-13, and Iowa later expanded its advantage to 21-16.
The Bulldogs answered with four consecutive points, cutting the deficit to 23-21. Steponaitis stopped the surge with a kill before Meitzler closed the set with an ace.
Iowa erupted for 19 kills and hit .533 during the 25-21 opening-set victory.
The Hawkeyes again had to battle from behind in the second set. Consecutive Iowa blocks produced a 13-12 lead before Steponaitis’ ace helped create a 21-18 cushion. Mogridge and Tomic combined for a block during a decisive 4-0 Iowa run, and Rosa Vesty eventually ended the set with a kill.
Iowa’s defense limited Drake to a .185 hitting percentage in the second frame.
The Hawkeyes never trailed in the third set. Blocks from Mogridge, Steponaitis, Tomic, Vesty and Whittingstall helped Iowa pull away, while the Bulldogs were held to a meager .065 attacking percentage.
Tomic delivered the match-ending kill, sealing Iowa’s second sweep of an in-state opponent this season and improving the Hawkeyes’ record at Xtream Arena to 3-1.
Iowa will return to the court Friday morning to open the Kwik Star Klassic against Texas Tech. First serve is scheduled for 11 a.m. at Xtream Arena.