Volleyball Bested At Iowa

Sunday, November 13

Iowa City, Iowa

3:00 PM (ET)

Rutgers University

8-20,2-14Big Ten

Iowa

8-19,2-14Big Ten

Rutgers

Iowa

Alissa Kinkela on the attack against Michigan at Jersey Mike's Arena

Photo by: Ariel Fox

Nov 13 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Box Score - Iowa

CORALVILLE, Iowa – Rutgers volleyball fell short in looking to collect a series sweep of Iowa on Sunday afternoon at Xtreme Arena as the Hawkeyes defeated the Scarlet Knights 25-23, 25-17, 25-22.

STANDOUT STATS

Alissa Kinkela posted 14 kills, a Big Ten high for the redshirt freshman. It was the 10th time this season she has led RU on the attack.
Junior Kristina Grkovic swung .467 on the afternoon with nine kills.
Senior Alyssa Nayar and redshirt junior Lauren DeLo each reached double-digit assists for the second consecutive game with 16 and 14 helpers respectively.
Nayar added 10 digs to her stat line for her fifth double-double of the season and 21st of her career.
Altogether a trio of Scarlet Knights landed in double-figure digs. In addition to Nayar's 10, junior Madyson Chitty led with 13 while freshman Taylor Humphrey collected 11.
Graduate student Megan Vernon moved up the rally-era total blocks leaders list with her five stops – two solo and three assisted. She currently ranks seventh on the list.

KEY MOMENTS

SET 1 (23-25) | Kristina Grkovic and Alissa Kinkela both had a set-high five kills as both teams swung over .300 for the set with Grkovic hitting .500 for the frame. Rutgers was ahead 14-12 when Iowa garnered the next four points to take the lead. The Hawkeyes led by four, 22-18, but by set point, the Iowa lead was only one. Lauren DeLo served up an ace as RU trailed 24-23 before the hosts took the set.
SET 2 (17-25) | The Scarlet Knights were unable to overcome an 11-0 Hawkeye run. A kill from Taylor Humphrey had Rutgers ahead 9-8 when Iowa went on its run. The Scarlet Knights had aces from Humphrey and Lexi Visintine while Megan Vernon posted three blocks in the set.
SET 3 (22-25) | It was seven ties and four lead changes before the Hawkeyes took the win. Rutgers opened with a 5-1 advantage and led 15-11 before Iowa scored four unanswered to knot the score at 15-15. The Scarlet Knights briefly gave up the lead but a dump kill from Lauren DeLo and an ace from Visintine had RU back in front at 19-18. Rutgers was up 20-19 when Iowa went on a 5-0 run to stay in front for good. One of Kinkela's seven kills in the final set brought the Scarlet Knights to within two at 24-22, but the Hawkeyes finished out the match on a Michelle Urquhart swing.

KNIGHT NOTES

With five rejections against the Hawkeyes, Megan Vernon moved into seventh all-time on the rally-era season total blocks list with 98 in 2022. She needs two more to move into a three-way tie for fifth alongside Jasmine Stackhouse (2016) and Eden Frazier (2014), and three more to tie Mikaela Matthews (2016).
Vernon is also two blocks away from joining the rally-era season block assists list and currently has 81 this season.
With two solo blocks this weekend, Vernon brought her season total to 18 and is one solo block away from tying Shealyn McNamara for second rally-era season blocks list and three away from tying Rachel Andreassian as Rutgers' rally-era solo blocks leader.

UP NEXT

Four more matches are left on the Rutgers volleyball schedule including the final two home games of the 2022 season next weekend.
Rutgers will welcome No. 5 Wisconsin on Friday, November 18 at 7 p.m. and No. 9 Minnesota on Sunday, November 20 at 1 p.m
The Scarlet Knights will celebrate Senior Day honoring Lauren DeLo, Rachel Tam and Megan Vernon prior to the start of the match.
Admission to Jersey Mike's Arena is free.
Parking is free with registration.