CORALVILLE — Iowa volleyball stayed within striking distance early, but No. 13 Purdue repeatedly took control with decisive scoring runs, handing the Hawkeyes their first straight-set loss of the season October 15 at Xtream Arena.
The Boilermakers won 25-19, 25-18 and 25-15, dropping Iowa to 12-9 overall and 1-6 in Big Ten play. The defeat added to a difficult conference stretch that included Iowa’s four-set loss at No. 16 Penn State after winning the opener.
Carmel Vares led Iowa’s offense for the third time in four matches, finishing with 11 kills on 21 swings and five digs. Liv Mogridge added 10 kills and two blocks, while Ksenija Tomic contributed seven kills and Hannah Whittingstall finished with six kills and two blocks.
Setter Jenna Meitzler recorded 34 assists, four digs and one kill. Libero Henlee Moszkowicz led the back row with 11 digs. Hallie Steponaitis and Marichka Hoshylyk delivered Iowa’s two service aces.
“We came out in the first set and executed what we had been working on,” Iowa coach Barnes said. “We were up for a good bit of it before it started turning in their direction. At the end of the day, we are only as strong as each individual. We had too many breakdowns against a team that doesn’t give you any room for error.”
Iowa showed that early promise in the opening set. Two Mogridge kills gave the Hawkeyes a 5-4 lead, and consecutive kills from Vares later kept Iowa ahead 12-10.
Purdue changed the match’s direction with a 9-1 run, building a 19-13 advantage. Iowa answered with three straight points to pull within 20-17 and force a Boilermaker timeout, but Purdue regrouped to finish the set.
The second set presented a steeper climb. Purdue opened with a 6-1 run and eventually stretched its lead to 17-7. Mogridge and Vares helped Iowa mount a late rally, trimming the deficit to 23-17, but the Hawkeyes could not overcome the early gap.
Iowa again challenged Purdue in the third set, which featured 10 ties. Whittingstall delivered a kill and then teamed with Meitzler for a block to draw the Hawkeyes even at 12-12.
Purdue took over from there. A late Hoshylyk ace brought Iowa within 21-15, but the Boilermakers scored the final four points to complete the sweep.
The Hawkeyes subsequently hosted No. 6 Wisconsin on October 18, ending a 31-set drought against the Badgers before falling in four sets.