CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – University of Iowa volleyball fell in a five-set defeat to Southeast Missouri State at Houck Field House on Thursday night. It was the first five-set loss for Iowa since 2023 and snapped a streak of five such wins in a row.
Graduate student Chard’e Vanzandt had her best night as a Hawkeye with a season-high 22 kills. The native of Houston, Texas, hit .312. Vanzandt is the first Hawkeye with 20+ kills since Michelle Urquhart accomplished the feat last season against Illinois.
Freshman Carmel Vares complimented Vanzandt, walking away with a season-best 17 kills and an even .500 hitting percentage. Vares had only three errors. Senior libero Milana Moisio had a career-best 19 digs and seven assists.
Senior Claire Ammeraal was again a force at the net, recording 44 assists, seven kills, and seven digs. Redshirt sophomore Alyssa Worden found crafty ways to find the floor, scoring 10 kills and nine digs. Sophomore Jaimie Marquardt was effective from the service line with a team-high three aces.
MATCH SUMMARY
SET ONE (IOWA 25-21)
Vares led the Hawkeyes early, securing three quick kills to open a 3-0 lead. SEMO responded with a 4-0 run of its own to push in front. Both teams traded a couple errors, before kills from Vanzandt and Ammeraal brought Iowa within one at 9-8. Vanzandt tipped to a hole in the defense to tie the set at 10-all. Iowa built a 15-12 lead heading into the media timeout on two kills from Worden and a kill from Vares. A pair of kills from the Redhawks pulled them within one at 15-14. Iowa found a few points to lead 17-15 before SEMO quickly responded to tie the set at 17-17. Iowa got a two-point lead on a Stojanovic kill and SEMO error to win the race to 20. The Hawkeyes locked in with a 4-1 run, forcing a Redhawk timeout. The Redhawks saved two set points before a Vares kill secured Iowa the first set. The opening-set victory ran Iowa’s streak to 14 set wins in a row, tying the third-longest streak in program history.
SET TWO (SEMO 25-23)
Vanzandt had two kills in the opening of set two to give Iowa a 4-3 lead. Stojanovic got Iowa’s first block to extend the lead to 5-3. After the Redhawks tied the set at 5-5, the Hawkeyes looked to Vanzandt to regain the lead. A kill from Stojanovic and solo block from Whittingstall expanded Iowa’s lead to 8-6. In a back-and-forth set, Worden found the floor with a roll shot and a Jaimie Marquardt ace gave the Hawkeyes a 10-9 advantage. Neither team was able to find much…