Indiana volleyball defeated Iowa 3-0 Wednesday night following a 3-2 win against Maryland on Sept. 25, making this the first time since 2018 the Hoosiers won two conference games in a row.
Indiana led early in the first set against Iowa. An ace from sophomore outside hitter Maddy Saris and a kill from junior outside hitter Morgan Geddes contributed to a 4-0 Indiana run to grab a 10-6 lead.
The set ended with a 10-4 run by the Hoosiers, resulting in a 25-16 win. Out of the final 14 points, three came from kills by junior middle blocker Savannah Kjolhede.
[Related: Indiana volleyball to dedicate match against Iowa to the Alzheimer’s Association]
Kjolhede was in full command from the endline, serving Indiana into a 12-0 run in the second set. Senior defensive specialist Paula Cerame closed with a pair of aces, leading the Hoosiers to a 25-10 victory.
Indiana was forced to take a timeout in the third set while trailing Iowa 10-15, but senior setter Emily Fitzner led the Hoosiers to a 5-0 run thereafter. With back-to-back kills from Geddes and an attack error by Iowa, Indiana won the third set 25–20.
Aside from the win, the match was notable for mulitple reasons. Cerame hit a career-best four service aces alongside her 18 digs. Sophomore setter Camryn Haworth reached her 1,000th career assist against the Hawkeyes.
“Cam does what Cam does, so when she got back there at 20, she kind of gave me a wink and I knew it was on,” head coach Steve Aird said. “She is going to be a star. She is still a puppy — she is a sophomore — but she is an absolute competitor and has the ability to shut down matches quickly.”
The crowd was energized after the Hoosier win and supplied the team with a warm welcome home. The team and many fans wore purple in support of Indiana’s mission to dedicate the match to Alzheimer's awareness.
Indiana will return to Wilkinson Hall at 7 p.m. Saturday to face Ohio State.
