Volleyball Powers Back For Five-Set Victory At Iowa - Rutgers University Athletics (2024)

• Rutgers had four Scarlet Knights in double-figure kills, five in double-figure digs and two with double-doubles.
• Redshirt sophom*ore Alissa Kinkela led the attack with 19 kills and 11 digs for her fifth double-double of the year and also added six blocks.
• Fifth-year senior Alyssa Nayar posted double-double number nine of the season behind a career-high 58 helpers and 20 digs. Her 20 digs were the most as a Scarlet Knight.
• Senior Madyson Chitty notched a career-high 28 digs as Rutgers totaled 96, the second most in a game of the rally era.
• On the block, freshman Zora Hardison logged a season-high eight stops, including three solo blocks.

• Set 1 (25-21) | Rutgers scored the first four points and played its way to an 8-2 advantage to open. A Kristina Grkovic swing gave RU a 12-7 lead that the Hawkeyes were able to narrow down to a point. With a 5-2 run Iowa trailed 12-11, but Rutgers responded outscoring the hosts 6-2 including kills from four different Knights to bump its lead to six and never trail. Alissa Kinkela put away five kills, while Grkovic hit .429 with three kills on seven attempts and Zora Hardison captured three points on three swings.

• Set 2 (24-26) | Rutgers powered out to a 9-4 lead capped by five unanswered points including a pair of kills by Alissa Kinkela but the Hawkeyes were able to come back to knot the frame at 13-13. While the Scarlet Knights took back the lead with three of the next four points involving kills by rookies Zora Hardison and Anna Hartman, an 8-2 Iowa run put the hosts ahead 22-18. RU, however, rallied late outscoring the Hawkeyes 6-2 to tie the frame. Back-to-back Alissa Kinkela kills put the score at 24-24. The Hawkeyes, however, were able to even the match with the next two points collecting set point on an ace. Kinkela added another six kills and seven digs to her total as RU hit a match-best .324.

• Set 3 (21-25) | While it was an early Hawkeye edge, a 7-2 run had Rutgers establish a 13-11 lead. A Taylor Humphrey swing gave Rutgers a 19-15 advantage. The Hawkeyes, however, made a late push with ten of the next 12 points to take the set. Taylor Humphrey notched five kills, while Alissa Kinkela posted a trio of rejections.

• Set 4 (25-21) | Alissa Kinkela knotted the score at 9-9 and RU continued scoring using a 10-3 run for an 18-12 edge. Bekah Williams gave the Scarlet Knights its largest lead at 21-15 off an ace. Taylor Humphrey led the attack with five kills, while Anna Hartman and Kinkela contributed four kills in helping force a fifth and deciding frame.

• Set 5 (15-9) | An Anna Hartman blast had Rutgers up 8-7 when switching sides and the Scarlet Knights never looked back. Kenzie Dyrstad gave the Scarlet Knights the victory securing an ace on match point. Hartman finished the set with five kills.

• Rutgers volleyball picked up double figure wins for the first time since 2012 when the Scarlet Knights wrapped up the year at 18-12 overall.
• Rutgers collected 72 kills, the most by a Scarlet Knight team in Big Ten play and tying for the most in a rally era match.The Scarlet Knights last established the rally era kills record with 72 against Wofford back on Aug. 24, 2012. Theprevious Big Ten high was 64 in a 3-1 win over Maryland on March 27, 2001
• RU's 70 assists were the most in a Big Ten match and ties for the most in a rally era match. Rutgers last established the rally era assists record with 80 against Rhode Island on Sept. 1, 2012 while the previous Big Ten best was 62 against Maryland on March 27, 2021.
• The 96 digs were the second most of the rally with the RU record at 113 against Penn onSept. 15, 2012. The 96 were the most in a Big Ten match with the previous high of 75 vs. Ilinois on Oct. 29, 2021.
• Altogether the Scarlet Knights either set or tied 14 career bests.
• Madyson Chitty registered her fourth match with 20 or more digs this season and ninth of her career. Her 28digs surpass her previous high of 24 set against Fresno State back on Aug. 26, 2022. It was also the most digs by a Scarlet Knight in a Big Ten match topping the previous record of 24 by Beka Kojadinovic vs. Illinois on Jan. 29, 2021.
• Chitty also tied her career high with eight assists tying her best at Michigan State on Nov. 23, 2022.
• Alyssa Nayar set a new career best with 58 assists surpassing her previous high of 57 at Arkansas on August 28, 2021. It also ties for the most assists by a Scarlet Knight in a Big Ten match matching Inna Balyko's 58 agianst Maryland on March 27, 2021.
• Nayar's20 digs were also the most "On The Banks" besting her previous mark of 19 in a five-set match at NC State on Sept. 1, 2023.
• Nayar is also nowtied for fifth rally era season doubles-doubles. She needsone more to tie for fourth alongside Meme Fletch (2015) and Caitlin Saxton (2009).
• Other notable career marks include Anna Hartman with 17 kills and 55 attacks,Kenzie Dyrstad with 15 digs, Bekah Williams with 10 digs, Kristina Grkovic with eight digs and Zora Hardison establishing new bests in kills (6), attacks (15), attack percentage (.200), total blocks (8), solo blocks (3) and block assists (5).

• Rutgers meets up with No. 1 Nebraska for the first of two meetings this season with the Cornhuskers on Saturday, Oct. 28 at 8 p.m. (ET) at the Bob Devaney Center.
• The Scarlet Knights will return home to host Indiana, who is receiving votes in the top 25, on Friday, November 3 and welcome Nebraska on Sunday, November 5. Admission is free and doors will open one hour prior to competition.

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