CORALVILLE — Iowa volleyball finally took a set from Wisconsin for the first time since 2016, but the sixth-ranked Badgers recovered to hand the Hawkeyes a four-set loss Sunday, October 18, at Xtream Arena.
Playing before a season-high crowd of 3,051, Iowa won a tense second set before Wisconsin closed out the match, 25-16, 26-28, 25-21, 25-17. The Hawkeyes fell to 12-10 overall and 1-7 in the Big Ten.
Ksenija Tomic led Iowa with 13 kills. Peyton Young supplied 10 kills on 17 swings in her second start of the season, hitting .353 and leading the Hawkeyes with three blocks.
Hawkeyes break through in second set
After Wisconsin pulled away to win the opener, Iowa answered with its strongest offensive set of the afternoon.
The Hawkeyes hit .405 with 19 kills in the second set, battling through extra points to end a 31-set losing streak against the Badgers.
Tomic delivered a kill to give Iowa set point at 24-23. Wisconsin extended the set, but Hannah Whittingstall later contributed a kill and Iowa’s only service ace to put the Hawkeyes ahead 27-26.
Tomic finished the job with a kill to the back corner, sealing the 28-26 victory and drawing the match even.
Wisconsin wins the late points
Iowa remained competitive deep into the third set, which featured 15 ties and five lead changes. A Liv Mogridge kill gave the Hawkeyes a 15-14 lead at the media timeout, and Tomic later tied it at 16.
Wisconsin gained separation with a run that pushed its lead to 20-17, then finished the set 25-21.
The fourth followed a similar pattern. Iowa stayed within two at 16-14 before Wisconsin pulled away down the stretch to clinch the match.
“Our service game was solid and gave us some leverage,” Iowa coach Jim Barnes said. “We made key plays when we needed to, we just needed to make a few more to take another set. That’s how you beat a ranked team like that.”
The Hawkeyes also took a set from a ranked conference opponent earlier this month before No. 16 Penn State rallied to win in four sets.
Young delivers in second start
Mogridge and Whittingstall finished with eight kills apiece, with Mogridge hitting .389. Setter Jenna Meitzler recorded 42 assists, her most since October 1, along with six digs and four kills.
Henlee Moszkowicz led Iowa with 12 digs, followed by Allison Berent with nine. Wisconsin committed 12 service errors to Iowa’s seven and held a 3-1 edge in aces.
Barnes praised Young’s contribution in the middle.
“Peyton brought a lot of energy and carried what she’s been doing in practice to today’s match,” he said.
Iowa will remain home to face USC at 6 p.m. Thursday, October 22, at Xtream Arena.