CORALVILLE, Iowa — University of Iowa volleyball fell to No. 13 Penn State, 3-0, inside Xtream Arena on Friday night.

The Hawkeyes were led by redshirt senior Delaney McSweeney with six kills and a clip of .500. Redshirt freshman Nataly Moravec also posted six kills and added nine digs to her stat line. Redshirt sophomore Sydney Dennis also had nine digs on the night. Senior setter Bailey Ortega registered 17 assists and tallied a career-best three service aces.

HOW IT HAPPENED

SET 1 (Penn St., 25-14): The Hawkeyes started the match on top, 3-1, after a Nittany Lion service error, a McSweeney kill assisted by Ortega, and a Penn State blocking error. The visitors went on a long run with Iowa points sprinkled in from senior Audrey Black and Moravec. With the Hawkeyes down by eight, they started to get their footing, posting kills by Moravec, McSweeney, redshirt junior Anna Davis, and fifth year Caitlan Buettner, a block by Black and Davis, and aces from Ortega and Dennis. Iowa fought but was unable to catch Penn State as it took the set.

SET 2 (Penn St., 25-18): Penn State took the first point of the set, but Buettner responded to tie at one. The Nittany Lions continued to set the pace of the match, but the Hawkeyes weren’t willing to give up. Iowa went on a four-point run, shortening the spread to four with kills from McSweeney and Moravec. The teams exchanged sets of three points with Penn State up, 13-10. The Hawkeyes scored six-consecutive points off a kill from Moravec, three forced errors and two aces from Black to bring the score within two, but the Nittany Lions responded and won second set.

SET 3 (Penn St., 25-14): Penn State continued its momentum into the third set. Iowa kept it close early with kills from Moravec, McSweeney, and Davis before the Nittany Lions pulled ahead. Halfway through the set, the Hawkeyes capitalized on errors and Ortega posted back-to-back service aces, but Penn State maintained its lead, 16-9. McSweeney, Buettner, freshman Gabby Deery, and Davis each posted kills before Penn State claimed the set and match.

UP NEXT

Iowa hosts Michigan State on Saturday inside Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa, at 6 p.m. (CT). The match will be live streamed on B1G+ (subscription required).

The Atlantic Trojans had their hands full Friday night on the road at back-to-back and defending State Champions the Harlan Cyclones. A rivalry game for the Trojans that has been completely one sided as the Trojans haven’t defeated the Cyclones since the 2002 season. Unfortunately, for the Trojans that streak continued as the Trojans fell in a hard-fought battle 27-6. The Cyclone defense was to overpowering for the Trojans.

The Cyclones got the exact start that they had hoped and planned for. The Cyclones won the coin toss but elected to defer until the second half. The Cyclone defense came out and forced a quick three and out by the Trojans offense. The Cyclone offense responded with a great drive that took about eight minutes off the clock and captured the drive off with a 1-yard touchdown run by Noah Schmitz to get the scoring started for the night and put the Cyclones in the lead for the rest of the night. The second quarter was a defensive battle forcing punt after punt until Harlan got the ball back with 3:50 remaining in the half. After a couple first downs Will Arkfeld found Jozef Rice in the right corner of the endzone for a late touchdown to take a 13-0 lead into the break. The Trojans really limited the Cyclone rushing attack all night long and Head Coach Joe Brummer was impressed with how his defensive front unit played.

The second half had several big explosive plays by the Cyclones offense and was able to push the score wide open. In the second half the Cyclones scored a touchdown on a unbelievable punt returns by senior Brehden Eggers. Eggers fielded the punt and ran sideline to sideline before making his way back to the near sideline and turning on the jets to take the punt 65+ yards all the way to the house and pushed the game to a three-score possession game.  The Cyclones would answer the punt return with another drive capped off by another Eggers touchdown this time coming in the pass game. Coach Brummer said his team gave up to many big plays.

The Trojans would fight all the way to the end. The offense finally got onto the board after a 66-yard touchdown rush by Dante Hedrington. The Trojans would also find a rhythm in the pass game as sophomore Zayden Parker was able to find his man Colton Rasmussen for three consecutive completions. Parker struggled throwing the ball most the night partly due to the bad misty weather and Coach Brummer said the team wishes they could have some of those misses back.

The Trojans fall to 3-5 on the season now and will wrap up regular season play next Friday night as they will take on one of the best teams in the state of Iowa in Nevada at home for the Trojans senior night.

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Four University of Iowa student-athletes showed out on the second day of ITA Midwest Regionals on Friday at the Jayhawk Tennis Center.      

In doubles play, Daianne Hayashida and Jessica Matthews started the day off in doubles competition with a sweep against Hamanaga/Vimuktananda of Central Arkansas, 8-0, to send them to Round of 32. Pia Kranholdt and Barbora Pokorna kept the victories rolling with a tiebreaker win against Tulsa’s Hutchings/Berlanga, 8-7 (7-3) also putting them into Round of 32. Hayashida and Matthews pushed their way through to the Round of 16 after defeating Parkins/Stephani of Drake, 8-3. Kranholdt and Pokorna finished their day falling to Nebraska’s Pietrowicz/Loy, 8-4, finishing their doubles play.   

In singles play, Kranholdt started it off with a win against Arkansas’s Kacie Harvey in straight sets, 6-2, 7-5. Hayashida followed with a another straight-set win against Manami Ukita from Kansas State, 7-5, 6-2. Pokorna continued the victories against Southern Illinois’s Jordan Schifano, 6-3, 7-6. Kranholdt fell in her second match against Kristina Novak of Oklahoma State, 6-1, 6-1.   

Pokorna and Hayashida will advance to Round of 32 for singles, while Matthews and Hayashida will advance in doubles to Round of 16. The Hawkeyes will continue the action tomorrow morning.   

HEAR FROM HEAD COACH SASHA SCHMID    

“I’m proud of our fight throughout a long day of competitive matches.  It was good for us to battle through many tough moments today. I’m happy for Dai and Jess to advance in doubles and Dai and Poko to move forward in singles. Looking forward to another great day tomorrow.”  

Tournament Draws: https://tinyurl.com/55748ffn   

ITA Regional Championships Livestream: https://tinyurl.com/y84kdkxh     

Day One Results    

Jessica Matthews (UI) def. Tuana Tinaztepe (UM): 7-5, 6-1  

Nore Heinitz (UND) def. Jessica Matthews (UI): 6-3, 4-6, 10-4   

Day Two Results  

Doubles competition:  

Daianne Hayashida/Jessica Matthews (UI) def. Sumomo Hamnaga/Vichitraporn Vimuktananda 

(UCA): 8-0  

Barbora Pokorna/Pia Kranholdt (UI) def. Lily Hutchings/Maria Berlanga (UT): 8-7 (7-3)  

Daianne Hayashida/Jessica Matthews (UI) def. Oriana Parkins Godwin/Ines Stehpani (DU): 8-3  

Maja Pietrowicz/Lucy Loy (UN) def. Barbora Pokorna/Pia Kranholdt (UI): 8-4  

Singles competition:  

Pia Kranholdt (UI) def. Kacie Harvey (UA): 6-2, 7-5  

Daianne Hayashia (UI) def. Manami Ukita (KS): 7-5, 6-2  

Barbora Pokorna (UI) def. Jordan Schifano (SIUE): 6-3, 7-6 (8-6)  

Kristina Novak (OSU) def. Pia Kranholdt (UI): 6-1, 6-1  

PEORIA, Ill. – University of Iowa men’s and women’s cross country earned top-half team placings in its regular season finale at the Bradley Pink Classic on Friday.

Iowa senior Jack Pendergast guided the Hawkeye men through wet and rainy conditions to an 11th-place finish (out of 28) with his 25:04.4 time in the 8,000-meter red race. Pendergast finished 41st overall and led the men’s team for the first time this season. Junior Aidan King had a strong showing, setting a career best 25:18.0. Junior Ian Geisler (25:22.1), freshman Miles Wilson (25:28.9) and sophomore Will Ryan (25:33.0) rounded out the scoring for Iowa.

On the women’s side, senior Amber Aesoph was Iowa’s top finisher for the third time this season, leading the women’s team to an 11th-place finish (out of 32 teams). Aesoph set a new personal record in the 6,000-meter red event, crossing the line in 21:49.3 and earning 30th-place, overall. Seniors Alli Bookin-Nosbisch (22:00.7) and Abby Ryon (22:07.4) also clocked career bests on Friday afternoon. Freshman Cameron Kalaway finished with a time of 22:26.3 and scored for the Hawkeyes for the first time this season.

A trio of Hawkeyes began the day with the men’s 8,000-meter white race. Freshman Luke Knepp, sophomore Nate Harbert and junior Yohana Yual implemented a pack mentality during the race and stayed together in the top ten through the first 4,000 meters. Knepp and Harbert wrapped up their day with top-ten finishes and new personal bests, crossing the line in 25:25.0 and 25:31.5, respectively.

The women’s 6,000-meter white event followed, with senior Kelli Tosic (22:36.4) and freshman Clare Kelly (22:41.0) finishing sixth and seventh, respectively. Sophomore Rowan Boulter (22:54.0) and seniors Ellie Twedt (22:55.9) and Katie Moore (23:06.1) put together strong performances and secured top-20 finishes.

UP NEXT: The Hawkeyes turn their focus to postseason competition, beginning with the Big Ten Championships in Madison, Wisconsin, on October 27.