WASHINGTON – The American University volleyball team took down Iowa State in commanding fashion on Saturday afternoon, sweeping the Big 12 opponent to mark the program's third victory over a Power Four team this season.
Deniz Dakak led the way with a double-double on 37 assists and 12 digs, driving the Eagles a season-high .292 hitting percentage.
Notable
- AU's other Power Four wins came against Northwestern on Aug. 29, and Virginia on Aug. 30.
- Dakak added two blocks and two aces in addition to her fifth double-double of the season.
- American had stellar performances up and down the roster. Salme Hollas paired 10 kills with nine digs, making some phenomenal stops throughout the match.
- The Eagles continue to get quality production up front, with Prinzez Zeck, Elise Sterling, and Carly Sciborski all hitting above .300. Zeck totaled nine kills and hit .438, adding 3.5 blocks to reach a team-best 12.5 points.
- Sterling delivered eight kills and hit .313, while Sciborski added seven at a .375 clip. It's the third straight game in which the senior opposite has hit .300 or higher, totaling 24 kills along that stretch.
- Bella Marrero racked up 11 kills, and Olivia Miller provided strong defense off the bench with six of her own.
- Freshman Sam McMillan logged six kills.
- American is now 5-4 on the season.
Set 1
- The Eagles set the tone early, playing one of their best sets of the season. They hit .389, out-striking a .297 clip from the Cyclones. Defensively, they kept several points alive through some sensational digging.
- Tied 6-6, AU went on a 10-3 run to grab a 16-9 lead. Hollas had two kills on the stretch, and McMillan, Sciborski, and Sterling each had one.
- Zeck and Sciborski also combined for a block, and Dakak and Alex Ioannou found the floor for two service aces.
- The Cyclones closed the gap with an 11-5 run of their own to tie the score 20-20, but American got the best of the final five points. Head coach Jenny Glenn won a crucial challenge to reverse a call that earned Sterling a kill and gave the Eagles a 23-22 lead, and they won the set 25-23.
- Hollas totaled five kills in the frame, followed by four for Sterling.
Set 2
- The Eagles got out to an early lead again in the second set, taking a 9-3 advantage. They eventually held their largest lead of the match at 22-13, and won the set by their largest margin of the day at 25-19.
- AU's defense shined even brighter, holding ISU to hit .000 and committing just two reception errors. The Eagles came up with four blocks as well, and Hollas took on five digs to help her team win some long points.
Set 3
- The Cyclones had their firmest grasp of the day at the start of the third set, but the Eagles only trailed by as much as three. They took a 16-15 lead midway through and never gave it up.
- Zeck came up with a solo block and put down two kills shortly after to make it a 20-16 AU advantage. Hollas found the floor for her final two kills of the day before McMillan put down the winner, sealing the win at 25-22.
Up Next
- AU begins Patriot League play next week, traveling to Holy Cross to face the Crusaders on Friday, Sept. 18. First serve is set for 6 p.m.
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