BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA — The Iowa Hawkeye volleyball team suffered another difficult Big Ten Conference setback Friday, November 6, 2026, falling in straight sets to No. 21 Indiana as the nationally ranked Hoosiers used decisive scoring runs to secure a 3-0 victory at Wilkinson Hall.
Indiana defeated Iowa by scores of 25-17, 25-19 and 25-12, dropping the Hawkeyes to 13-14 overall and 2-11 in Big Ten play.
Although Iowa showed promising stretches during the opening two sets, the Hoosiers repeatedly responded with scoring surges that prevented the visitors from establishing sustained momentum.
Carmel Vares led Iowa’s offense with seven kills, marking the fourth time this season she has paced the Hawkeyes in that category.
Nine Iowa players recorded at least one kill, reflecting a balanced attack that nevertheless struggled to produce enough consistent offense against a nationally ranked opponent.
One encouraging development came from freshman setter Nikolija Bulatovic, who received her most extensive playing opportunity of the season after entering late in the opening set.
Bulatovic responded with career highs of 13 assists, four kills and four digs, providing a spark as the Hawkeyes attempted to remain competitive.
Defensively, Allison Berent made her first start of the season at libero and established a career high with 17 digs.
The match also featured an individual milestone for outside hitter Ksenija Tomic, who recorded her 200th kill of the season during the third set.
Iowa began the evening with energy and briefly put Indiana on its heels.
Early kills from Hannah Whittingstall and Liv Mogridge helped the Hawkeyes capitalize on several Hoosier mistakes.
A kill by Jenna Meitzler capped a four-point Iowa scoring run that gave the visitors a 10-8 lead and forced Indiana to call a timeout.
The Hoosiers responded immediately, reeling off seven consecutive points to transform Iowa’s two-point advantage into a 15-10 deficit.
Iowa attempted to rally late, with Whittingstall helping spark a three-point run that briefly reduced the margin. But Indiana closed out the first set, 25-17.
The second set followed a similar pattern.
Iowa showed another competitive opening stretch, using a three-point scoring run highlighted by a Whittingstall service ace and a well-timed setter dump from Bulatovic.
The teams traded points throughout much of the frame, with Iowa remaining within striking distance.
At 15-14, the Hawkeyes appeared positioned to challenge the Hoosiers for control.
But Indiana again delivered a decisive run, scoring five unanswered points to build a 20-14 advantage.
The Hawkeyes responded with kills from Whittingstall, Bulatovic and Mogridge, narrowing the gap to 23-19 and forcing another Indiana timeout.
The Hoosiers regrouped and claimed the next two points, securing a 25-19 victory and taking a commanding two-set lead.
With their backs against the wall, the Hawkeyes needed a strong third-set start to extend the match.
Instead, Indiana raced to a 9-1 advantage, forcing Iowa to use both of its timeouts early in the final frame.
The Hawkeyes chipped away behind a kill from Tomic and a block involving Whittingstall, reducing the deficit to 14-7.
But Indiana answered with another five-point scoring run, stretching its lead to 19-7.
Iowa managed a late three-point surge, highlighted by a block from Meitzler and Whittingstall. Indiana finished on a 4-1 run, claiming the third set 25-12 and completing the sweep.
The defeat illustrated a recurring challenge for Iowa against its Big Ten opponents: maintaining consistency after building momentum.
The Hawkeyes were competitive during portions of the first two sets but could not contain Indiana’s decisive scoring runs.
Despite the result, several individual efforts provided encouragement.
Bulatovic’s expanded role offered an opportunity to showcase her development as a freshman setter, with career-best totals in assists, kills and digs.
Berent’s 17 digs demonstrated her ability to contribute defensively while handling the responsibilities of the libero position.
At the net, Meitzler, Mogridge and Whittingstall each finished with two blocks.
For Tomic, reaching 200 kills represented another milestone during a season in which she has been an important part of Iowa’s offensive rotation.
The Hawkeyes returned home Sunday, November 8, for another challenging matchup against nationally ranked competition.
Iowa faced No. 19 Minnesota at Xtream Arena in Coralville, but the Golden Gophers delivered another straight-set defeat, winning 25-19, 25-16 and 25-16.
That result dropped the Hawkeyes to 13-15 overall and 2-12 in conference play, while Minnesota improved to 15-7 and 9-5 in the Big Ten.
The back-to-back losses highlighted the difficult stretch facing Iowa as it attempts to regain momentum against a demanding Big Ten schedule.
Iowa next travels to Northwestern for a Thursday, November 12, match, followed by a road contest at No. 1 Nebraska on Saturday, November 14.
Additional Iowa volleyball information, including team statistics, schedules and upcoming matches, is available through Iowa Athletics.