LAS VEGAS – University of Iowa volleyball outlasted Utah Tech in five sets on Saturday night inside the Cox Pavilion. The Hawkeyes improve to 2-0 on the season.

Senior setter Claire Ammeraal notched her second triple-double as a Hawkeye, recording 41 assists, 18 digs and 11 kills. The native of Madison, Wisconsin, posted a triple-double last season against Providence. Sophomore Aleksandra Stojanovic matched freshman Carmel Vares to lead Iowa with 13 kills each. Stojanovic hit .524 and blocked two Trailblazer attacks in the second match of her collegiate career.

Senior libero Milana Moisio posted a career high in digs, recording 16 in the win. Junior Hannah Whittingstall matched her best in blocks with 10.

Four Hawkeyes registered double-digit kills, led by Stojanovic and Vares. Ammeraal’s 11 kills were one away from a new career high. Redshirt sophomore Alyssa Worden drilled 10 kills.

Overall, Iowa hit .178 and held Utah Tech to .162. The Hawkeyes dug 68 attacks and had 13 blocks. The team was even in aces and service errors with four each way.

The Hawkeyes are 2-0 for the second-straight season and have won five consecutive five-set matches.

HEAR FROM HEAD COACH JIM BARNES
“In the first weekend of competition, we expected the unexpected. Utah Tech, especially with that many returners, played us really well, and we had to step it up. We found a way tonight. My favorite part of the match was seeing our response in the third set. I took a couple of our starters out and then started them in the third. Claire (Ammeraal) was on fire in that third set. That changed the momentum back to us. But we need to learn to not put ourselves in that position. Early in the season, sometimes we have to find a way to gut it out. Sashka (Stojanovic) really came alive in the fifth set. I am really proud of her.”

MATCH SUMMARY
SET ONE (IOWA 25-18)
After winning the season opener last night, Iowa and Utah Tech met as the lone undefeated teams at the Rebel Challenge. The Hawkeyes started shaky while trying to find rhythm offensively and handed Utah Tech six of its first eight points. The Hawkeyes settled in and won the race to 10 on kills from Worden. Utah Tech called its first timeout at 11-8. The Hawkeyes’ lead was trimmed to 12-11 before Vares sparked the offense with two kills in succession. Worden’s fifth kill of the set gave the Hawkeyes a 16-11 lead. Despite a quick run from Utah Tech, an Ammeraal and Whittingstall block – sandwiched by two Trailblazer errors – propelled Iowa back into control. The Hawkeyes sealed the set on an opponent error. Iowa held Utah Tech to a .030 hitting percentage. The set was tied six times, primarily early on.

SET TWO (Utah Tech, 25-14)
Set two was controlled by the Trailblazers from start to finish. Kills from Ammeraal and Stojanovic, followed by a Worden ace broke the early Utah Tech run and saw Iowa trail, 6-4. The Trailblazers used several mini-runs to expand their lead north of five points by the midway mark of the set, leading 11-6 and 14-7. The Hawkeyes subbed in sophomore setter Jenna Meitzler and junior outside hitter Gabby Deery to provide a spark. Ultimately, set two went to Utah Tech, 25-14, and the script from set one was flipped.

SET THREE (IOWA, 25-15)
Coach Barnes re-inserted Ammeraal and Worden to begin set three. Vares was terminal from the pin on a great feed from Ammeraal to start the set. Ammeraal got on her offense in the third and used two early kills to give Iowa a 4-2 lead. The Hawkeyes blew the set open at 9-2, courtesy of the offense exposing the middle of the Utah Tech defense. Ammeraal notched three kills and a block within the first ten points of the set and Iowa fed off of that effort. A brief Utah Tech rally was thwarted when Whittingstall solo blocked an attack. The next play, Whittingstall teamed up with Ammeraal to stuff Utah Tech again. Vares smacked her 10th kill to win the third set. The Hawkeyes bounced back and hit .310 in the frame.

SET FOUR (Utah Tech, 25-22)
Set four was the most competitive and back-and-forth set that the match had seen to this point. Ammeraal and Vares continued to lead the Iowa offense, while Utah Tech gifted the Hawkeyes a few points early. Iowa led 10-6, but the Trailblazers forced an Iowa timeout after a 4-0 spree. The teams could not gain separation until late in the set. Trailing 20-18 and coming out of a timeout, Whittingstall and Ammeraal went back-to-back in the middle and tied the set at 20. In the end, Utah Tech forced a deciding fifth set on a pair of kills and an Iowa error. The set saw 12 ties and seven lead changes.

SET FIVE (IOWA 15-11)
Worden sparked the Hawkeyes to begin set five with a kill and a block. Utah Tech responded with a 3-0 run, as the tug-of-war began in the decider. Utah Tech built its lead to 7-4 before Iowa ripped off a 4-0 run to take the lead as the teams switched ends. Ammeraal and Vanzandt led the way with two kills each during that run. At 10-9, Vanzandt approached the service line. The Trailblazers attacked in system and sent a ball Moisio’s way. A phenomenal sprawling dig from Moisio was passed to Ammeraal, who set up Worden’s terminal swing. Iowa secured momentum at that point and secured the win moments later behind kills from Stojanovic and Whittingstall.

Up Next: Iowa concludes the Rebel Challenge at 4:00 p.m. (CT) against CSU Bakersfield. The match will be streamed on the UNLV Athletics YouTube channel and broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network with John Evans on the call.