EAST LANSING, Mich. — Iowa volleyball rallied to win the opening set and kept the pressure on No. 22 Michigan State, but the Hawkeyes could not finish the upset in a four-set loss Sunday, October 11, at the Breslin Center.
The Hawkeyes took the opener 27-25 before Michigan State claimed the next three sets 25-22, 25-22 and 25-23. The result dropped Iowa to 12-8 overall and 1-5 in Big Ten play.
Carmel Vares led Iowa with 11 kills, while Jaimie Marquardt matched her career high with four service aces.
Hawkeyes rally late to take opening set
Iowa jumped ahead 6-2 before Michigan State worked its way back into the match and eventually built a 22-18 lead.
Liv Mogridge helped turn the set around, delivering three kills and combining with Rosa Vesty for a block during a six-point Iowa run.
The Hawkeyes finished the comeback when Hannah Whittingstall put away the deciding kill for a 27-25 victory. Iowa hit .524 in the set with 14 kills and three attack errors, while Michigan State committed five service errors.
Michigan State answers in close finishes
The Spartans opened a 14-7 lead in the second set, but Iowa chipped away with help from Marichka Hoshylyk off the bench and Whittingstall at the net.
A five-point run brought the Hawkeyes within 14-12. Later, Iowa erased a 21-18 deficit with four straight points, including Marquardt’s third ace, to take a 22-21 lead.
Michigan State responded after a timeout by scoring the final four points to even the match.
The third set followed a similar pattern. Iowa repeatedly cut into the Spartans’ lead, getting offense from Vares and setter Jenna Meitzler to stay within reach. A Michigan State service error and consecutive Vares kills pulled Iowa within 22-20, but the Spartans held on and finished the set with their fifth ace of the frame.
Iowa again challenged in the fourth, using a five-point run to move ahead 12-10. Michigan State later took an 18-15 lead before the Hawkeyes battled back to tie it at 20.
Iowa fought off two match points, but the Spartans delivered the final kill to close out the match.
Marquardt matches career best at service line
Marquardt’s four aces helped Iowa finish with seven aces against just three service errors. Henlee Moszkowicz added two aces.
Michigan State finished with 11 aces but committed 13 service errors.
Vares reached double figures in kills and led the Hawkeyes in that category for the first time since September 11. She recorded her 11 kills on 22 attempts.
Mogridge and Whittingstall each added eight kills, while Vesty finished with seven. Meitzler contributed five kills on .400 hitting, along with 37 assists, five digs and two blocks.
Eight Hawkeyes recorded at least one kill, and Iowa finished with a .211 team hitting percentage.
Iowa also held a 36-27 advantage in digs. Moszkowicz led the Hawkeyes with nine, while Allison Berent and Marquardt each collected five.
The loss left Iowa 0-2 in Big Ten Discover Volleyball Challenge matches this season.
In the Hawkeyes’ subsequent October 15 match, No. 13 Purdue handed Iowa its first sweep of the season in Coralville.