NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. – The 2021 Rutgers volleyball season came to a close on Friday night at the College Ave Gym with the Scarlet Knights dropping a 3-1 decision to Iowa.

Rutgers fought back from a 2-0 deficit in 25-22 and 25-16 setbacks before coming back to claim a third set victory 25-20. While the Scarlet Knights were hoping to claim its first come-from-behind victory down two sets to none in Big Ten action fighting thru 11 ties in the fourth set, RU fell short falling 25-19 in the final frame.

Before the match, Rutgers honored its six seniors – Beka Kojadinovic, Kamila Cieslik, Inna Balyko, Anastasiia Maksimova, Shealyn McNamara and Samantha Graver.
 

STANDOUT STATS

• Fifth-year senior Beka Kojadinovic posted her 22^nd double-double of her career and eighth of the 2021 season. She collected 15 kills, one shy of tying her season-high, along with 12 digs.
• Senior Inna Balyko put up 38 helpers along with serving up a pair of aces and totaling five rejections.
• Also on defense, sophomore Madyson Chitty dug up the ball 17 times while Shealyn McNamara came away with six blocks

KEY MOMENTS

• Set 1 (22-25) | The lead switched hands four times with Iowa going out to a 17-13 edge. A 5-1 run by the Scarlet Knights knotted the score at 18-18, however, back-to-back swings from the Kyndra Hansen put the Hawkeyes in front for good. Rutgers forced four set points for Iowa, including a kill from Kamila Cieslik and an ace from Anastasiia Maksimova. Beka Kojadinovic led RU behind five kills.
• Set 2 (16-25) | After Rutgers opened with a 3-2 lead, the Hawkeyes would not allow the Scarlet Knights back-to-back points en route to the 2-0 edge. Iowa ended the frame on an 8-2 run. Kojadinovic hit .571 with four kills.
• Set 3 (25-20) | The Scarlet Knights punched back in set three. After three-straight points by Iowa saw the visitors go out to an 11-9 advantage, RU used a 7-1 burst to change momentum.  While the Hawkeyes tied the score at 16-16 with four unanswered, Rutgers reclaimed the lead behind a 6-1 run that included back-to-back aces from Inna Balyko and back-to-back kills from Maksimova. The run gave RU its largest lead of the set at 22-17.  Cieslik claimed set point in her final Scarlet Knight appearance.
• Set 4 (19-25) | The final set was neck-and-neck with 11 ties and the Scarlet Knights getting five kills from Megan Vernon. A Hawkeye error saw the frame tied at 18-18 and one of four Kojadinovic kills saw Rutgers trail 20-19.  Iowa, however, closed with five straight for the win.

HIGHLIGHTS

 

KNIGHT NOTES

• In all-time records, Inna Balyko closed out her career fifth in assists (3432) and ninth in block assists (246).
• Among rally-era career stats, Beka Kojadinovic finished fourth in kills (889), eighth in kills per set (2.23), first in aces (106), sixth in digs (863), seventh in block assists (201) and seventh in total blocks (211). Kamila Cieslik wrapped up her career as the leader in matches played (132), seventh in kills (788) and fourth in aces (89). Inna Balyko concluded her Scarlet Knight career second in assists (3432), second in aces (99), fifth in digs (890) and fourth in solo blocks (27), block assists (246) and total blocks (273). Shealyn McNamara landed second in blocks per set (1.04).
• In rally-era season stats, Beka Kojadinovic ended the year 10^th in kills (287). Inna Balyko placed her name seventh in assists (830) and eighth in aces (29). Shealyn McNamara placed her name second in solo blocks (18) and total blocks (118) and third in block assists (100) and blocks per set (1.18).

PHOTOS

 

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