Box Score Nov. 1, 2014 Final Stats
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (Nov. 1, 2014) - The Rutgers women's volleyball team fell in four sets to Iowa on Saturday night at the College Ave. Gym. The Scarlet Knights (7-18, 0-12 Big Ten) pushed the match to a fourth set, but the Hawkeyes (11-12, 3-9 Big Ten) took the win by scores of 25-15, 25-18, 25-27 and 25-16.
"It wasn't our best night and in this league you have to bring your best night in and night out or the match results in a loss," said head coach CJ Werneke. "We are still trying to learn how we can bring our highest level of play to every game. That starts with me getting the best out of our players. If we maintain our focus of being at our highest level day in and day out, we will be there come the weekend.Tonight, we just weren't there."
Junior outside Alex Lassa (Eagle, Colo.) paced the squad with 12 kills on the night. Senior setter Nicole Bayer (Concord, Ohio) put up 21 assists, while freshman setter Talia Holze (Wheaton, Ill.) added 15 of her own. Holze also tied her career-high with two service aces.
Defensively, junior libero Ali Schroeter (Bakersfield, Calif.) pulled up 19 digs.
On Iowa's side of the net, sophomore middle Lauren Brobst led the team with 18 kills. Freshman setter Kaylee Smith recorded a team-high 24 assists, followed by sophomore setter Alyssa Klostermann with 21.
The Scarlet Knights got off to a slow start in the match, falling behind, 10-3, in set one. The Hawkeyes went on to claim the set 25-15. In set two, RU settled into the competition as the team kept the score balanced. With the count tied 5-5, Iowa went on a five-point run to create a 10-5 lead. It was a lead the Hawkeyes would never surrender, taking a 25-18 win in the second.
Rutgers came alive in the third set as the teams traded point for point. Neither team was able to break away in the count as the score was tied a total of 20 times in the stanza. With the score even at 22-22, the set turned into an intense rally. Sophomore middle Lauren Cloyd (Champaign, Ill.) added on a kill for Rutgers, but Brobst responded with a kill of her own for Iowa. The pace continued, until junior middle Eden Frazier (Irvine, Calif.) delivered a crucial service ace, putting the Scarlet Knights up 26-25. On the momentum of the serve, junior middle Mikaela Matthews (San Diego, Calif.) and Lassa teamed up for a huge block to give Rutgers the win in the third.
Moving into the fourth, Iowa jumped ahead, 4-0. Falling behind 9-3, RU kept pushing to bring the score to 10-12. Despite the Scarlet Knights' spark, the Hawkeyes maintained control of their early lead for the remainder of the set. Iowa won the fourth, 25-17, for its third victory in Big Ten play.
Up next, Rutgers hits the road for Penn State (Nov. 7) and Ohio State (Nov. 8).
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