The University of Iowa volleyball team faced a tough 3-1 loss to Illinois on Sunday, dropping their season record to 9-13 and Big Ten record to 3-7. Senior Michelle Urquhart had an impressive game with a career-high 20 kills and a double-double. Freshman Dominique Phills set a new career high with five blocks, while sophomore Hannah Whittingstall contributed six blocks. Despite the loss, head coach Jim Barnes praised the team’s effort and highlighted the importance of serving tough to secure wins.
In a close first set, the Hawkeyes battled back from a 5-0 run by Illinois but ultimately fell short with a .179 hitting percentage. The second set saw Iowa leading at points early on, but Illinois pulled ahead with a strong finish. However, the Hawkeyes showed their resilience in the third set, coming back from a deficit to win 27-25 with a 7-1 run. Unfortunately, they couldn’t maintain the momentum in the fourth set, resulting in a 25-13 loss to Illinois.
Looking ahead, the Hawkeyes will face Ohio State and Penn State in upcoming matches. Fans can catch their game against Ohio State on the Big Ten Network on Thursday, October 31st. Coach Barnes expressed confidence in the team’s ability to bounce back and emphasized the importance of learning from their experiences to improve in future games. Iowa volleyball remains focused on making progress and putting up a strong fight in their upcoming matchups.
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