SACRAMENTO, Calif. — University of Iowa volleyball fell to Nevada, 2-3, on Sunday inside Yosemite Hall.

Senior Caitlan Buettner posted her third-consecutive double-double with 16 kills and 20 digs. Two more Hawkeyes registered double-figure kills, including seniors Delaney McSweeney (13) and Audrey Black (10). Senior setter Bailey Ortega set a season-high 34 assists.

In junior Amanda Darling’s first career start as a Hawkeye, she led Iowa with 28 digs and recorded two service aces.

Junior Anna Davis was named to the all-tournament team as she consistently playing throughout the tournament. Davis registered a .321 hitting percentage on the weekend, knocking down 21 kills.

HOW IT HAPPENED

SET 1 (IOWA, 26-24): In the opening set against Nevada, the Hawkeyes jumped ahead with a strong start, claiming the first four points. A kill from McSweeney, assisted by Ortega, initiated the lead. Throughout the set, Iowa maintained their lead. After a series of kills from Nevada, the Hawkeyes responded with an ace from Mateo and another kill from McSweeney. Nevada made a comeback to tie the set at 24 at the end of the set, but Iowa capitalized on errors to clinch the set.

SET 2 (IOWA, 25-22): In the second set, the Hawkeyes kicked off scoring with an ace by junior Michelle Urquhart. After giving up a point due to an error, the Hawkeyes bounced back with a kill from Black and an ace from Darling. After several exchanged errors between the teams, Nevada briefly tied at 10-10, but Iowa jumped ahead with sophomore Nataly Moravec’s kill. The set continued with both teams fighting back and forth, resulting in ties six times. Iowa clinched the set with a kill by Black and closed it out with an ace from Darling.

SET 3 (Nevada, 25-17): The Hawkeyes kicked off the third set with three consecutive points, getting the early lead, 3-1. From there, the two teams took turns leading until the Wolf Pack was able to push past with a nine-point run. The Hawkeyes lessened the deficit to five with their own run, but were not able to catch Nevada.

SET 4 (Nevada, 25-21): Iowa picked up an early lead in the fourth set, going up 9-5 with kills from McSweeney, Black, and Urquhart and service aces from Sydney Dennis and Black. Nevada took the lead after a five-point run, 10-9, before Iowa was able to put a few more points on the board to tie the set at 11. The Wolf Pack broke through again, scoring six-straight. Iowa came back to lessen the margin to two, but fell short in the end.

SET 5 (Nevada, 15-10): Iowa scored first, but Nevada was quick to take the lead, 5-1. Scoring went back and forth before Iowa was able to put three consecutive points on the board to lessen the gap, 6-8. The Wolf Pack scored in pairs, broken up by single points for the Hawkeyes, until they took the set and the match.

UP NEXT

The Hawkeyes head home to host the Fryfest Invitational on Friday-Sunday Sept. 1-3 as they host Middle Tennessee State, Kent State, and South Dakota State. Admission is free on Friday.

BROOKINGS, S.D. – Iowa State dropped its second match of the week on Sunday afternoon, as the unbeaten South Dakota State Jackrabbits scored in the 87th minute to pull ahead for a 2-1 win at a windy Fishback Soccer Park.

The Cyclones (2-2) scored first on the afternoon, as senior transfer Abigail Miller notched her second score of the season to put ISU up 1-0. SDSU (4-0) would pocket a pair of goals in the second half to distance itself from the Cyclones to stay unbeaten.

Both squads were physical throughout the match, as there were 22 combined fouls and four yellow cards issued.

The match started with each team feeling the other out, as both had just two shots apiece 20 minutes in. Iowa State broke through on its third shot of the first stanza, as Miller capitalized on SDSU’s failed attempt at clearing the ball and fired one into the back right corner of the net to give the Cyclones a 1-0 lead.

The Cyclones would stand pat and take that 1-0 lead into the break, as both teams had just three shots through 45 minutes of play.

After going against the wind in the first half, the Jackrabbits used the wind in the second half to power an offensive surge that saw SDSU record 11 second-half shots.

The Jackrabbits threatened early in the second half, ripping off five shots before connecting on the sixth in the 71st minute. Avery Murdzek connected with a Cyclone clear from about 20 yards out and snuck it past a diving Avery Gillahan to knot the match at one apiece.

The Jack’s attack didn’t slow from there, as SDSU continued to push the issue, rattling off four more shots before punching one in with just three minutes left to play. SDSU’s leading goal-scorer, Maya Hansen, controlled a ricocheted ball after a collision with no call and was able to put it past Gillahan to give the Jackrabbits the advantage.

The Jackrabbits would hold on for the final three minutes to earn their fourth-straight win.

Lauren McConnell tallied a team-high two shots on the afternoon, while the backline trio of Chloe Broughton, Olivia Edwards and Hanna Reid, as well as Gillahan played all 90 minutes.

Goals 

Iowa State: Abigail Miller (31’)

SDSU: Avery Murdzek (71’), Maya Hansen (87’) 

Assists 

Iowa State: N/A 

SDSU: N/A 

Up Next
Following its trip to Brookings, Iowa State will return home from its three-game road stint to face off with the nationally-ranked Memphis Tigers on Thursday, August 31. Thursday’s match is scheduled to kick off at 6 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+. 

Defense has been a strength at Iowa State and with a new quarterback and running back the Cyclones will lean on that unit as they seek to rebound from a 4-8 record. Junior Myles Purchase is part of a secondary that may be the best in the Big-12.

Purchase says he has made a lot of progress under first year secondary coach and former NFL veteran Hank Poteat (poh-teet).

ISU opens at home against Northern Iowa on Saturday. Panther coach Mark Farley has an experienced team that was ranked 20th in the FCS preseason poll. Farley says in game adjusts are big in an opener

The Cyclones have won the last three in the series but the last two were nail biters.

Hopes are high at Iowa where the Hawkeyes open on Saturday at home against Utah State. After featiring one of the nation’s worst offenxses a year ago the Hawkeyes are confident they will show improvement. coach Kirk Ferentz said last week he is optimistic quarterback Cade McNamara will be ready to go after an injury during a Kid’s Day scrimmage. McNamara led Michigan to a Big Ten title two years ago.

McNamara says they are not focused on what happened last season.

McNamara is confident in what the offense will accomplish.