Hawkeyes Soar Past Women’s Volleyball in Three Sets

Loyola Women’s volleyball team lost to the Iowa Hawkeyes in their last game of the Kiwi Star Classic tournament in Coralville, Iowa, Sept. 6. Second-year outside hitter Kaitlyn Burke led the Ramblers with 10 kills while first-year outside hitter Carmel Vare led the Hawkeyes with 11 kills. 

Vares and Burke started the first set with a kill apiece. A service ace from second-year libero Jaimie Marquardt got energy behind the service line. Redshirt second-year outside hitter Alyssa Worden, third-year middle blocker Hannah Whittingstall and graduate outside hitter Chard’e Vanzandt, each tallied kills, Iowa was up early 7-2. 

The Ramblers started to gain momentum from first-year outside hitter Leyna Nguyen and Burke each grabbing a kill, followed by a service ace from first-year libero Sam Falk. A block by fourth-year middle blocker Ann Marie Remmes put the Ramblers within three, 9-6. 

Trading kills, second-year middle blocker Aleksandra Stojanovic, Worden, Vares and Whittingstall furthered the lead for Iowa. Nguyen, Remmes and Burke fought back for the Ramblers but still trailed 16-12. 

Third-year middle blocker Avary DeBlieck and second-year outside Kate Maley each tabbed a kill, which was followed by a Hawkeye ace from Whittingstall, prompting a Loyola timeout. Out of the timeout, the Ramblers went on a 5-0 run with kills from Maley and another Falk service ace to tie the set at 20. 

Nguyen and Remmes kept the energy on the Ramblers’ side, scoring kills, but they were met with kills from Worden and Vanzandt, giving the Hawkeyes set point, 24-23. A kill from Vares won the first set for the Hawkeyes 25-23. 

Whittingstall and Vares got the second set started for the Hawkeyes, each tallying a kill, which was responded to by first-year setter Ava Hunter and Burke securing kills for the Ramblers to tie the first set at three. Despite a kill from Maley, fourth-year setter Claire Ammeraal and Vanzandt each tallied a kill, followed by a Whittingstall service ace to further the Iowa lead 8-5. 

Remmes and Burke kept stamina at the net, adding a kill and a block for the Ramblers but could not combat kills from Stojanovic and Vares, which kept the Hawkeyes in the lead, 13-9. Three blocks in a row from DeBlieck, however, sparked some life into the Ramblers’ side of the court, tying the game at 13 and prompting a Hawkeye timeout. 

A tight rest of the set consisted of kills from DeBlieck and Maley for Loyola and Whittingstall, Vanzandt and Vares for Iowa. Down 20-18, the Ramblers called a timeout. 

Back-to-back points for Nguyen out of the timeout through a kill and a service ace had the game tied once again at 20. Burke and Vares each added two kills, but a kill from Whittingstall gave the Hawkeyes set point. A  Rambler error allowed the Hawkeyes to win set two, 25-23. 

Nguyen and Maley started the Ramblers strong with kills, but they were met with kills by redshirt first-year outside Hallie Steponaitis and Whittingstall, tying the third set at three apiece. Maley and DeBlieck kept the offense going for Loyola while Vanzandt and Vares continued the kills for the Hawkeyes. A block from Remmes and Hunter tied the set at seven. 

A service ace by Maley and a Remmes kill put the Ramblers up 11-8. Loyola’s lead was combated by back-to-back service aces from fourth-year libero Milana Moisio. Three Rambler errors followed by Steponaitis and Whittingstall kills switched the narrative and gave the Hawkeyes a 17-12 lead. 

Staying hot, Steponaitis and Whittingstall added another kill, which Burke answered with a kill for the Ramblers. Vanzandt got in on the offence, adding a kill and putting the Hawkeyes up five, 20-15. 

A kill from Maley initiated a 4-0 Hawkeye run with kills from third-year outside Gabby Deery, giving Iowa match point. A Rambler attack error ended the match 25-18 in a sweep for the Hawkeyes. 

Head coach Amanda Berkley commended the team’s fight against a Big-10 team and applauded the defense.

“I was proud of the way the team battled the first two sets,” Berkley said. “Sam [Falk] had a nice match defensively and was able to steal some kills. We need to be a little bit better with serve receive and running our offense at a more efficient rate.”

The Ramblers take on the University of Minnesota in Gentile Arena Sept. 19th at 6 p.m. Streaming will be available on ESPN+.