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.

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