CORALVILLE, Iowa – University of Iowa volleyball swept Maryland in its Big Ten opener at Xtream Arena on Thursday night. The Hawkeyes (10-3, 1-0 B1G) have won consecutive league openers for the first time since 1999-2000.

The Hawkeyes improved to 6-1 on their home floor and clinched their eighth sweep of the season.

Graduate Chard’e Vanzandt led the offense with 14 kills. Her 12th kill of the night was the 1,000th of Vanzandt’s career.

“I had never thought about reaching 1,000 kills,” Vanzandt said. “I really don’t keep up with my stats. Obviously, it’s a great accomplishment, but it isn’t possible without my setters and passers.”

“Chard’e is our leader,” head coach Jim Barnes said. “The team rallies behind her. She is a special athlete – to move from the left side after playing middle her entire career is just not something you see. For her to play that well already shows how hard she works.”

Senior Claire Ammeraal recorded her third double-double of the season with 31 assists and 11 digs. She added six kills. Iowa’s middles remained consistent with junior Hannah Whittingstall nailing nine kills and hitting .538. Defensively, Whittingstall totaled seven blocks. Sophomore Aleksandra Stojanovic terminated six kills with no errors and hit a team-high .667.

Stojanovic and fellow sophomore Jaimie Marquardt were stellar from the service line, each picking up three aces.

Iowa finished with a .330 hitting mark and held the Terrapins to .204. The Hawkeyes won the block battle at the net, 9-4.

Up Next: Iowa (10-3, 1-0 B1G) returns to action against No. 7 Wisconsin on Sunday afternoon at Xtream Arena. The match begins at 2:00 p.m. (CT).