Iowa rallied from two sets down to force a deciding fifth set, but USC scored the final nine points to win 15-9 and take the match. Hannah Whittingstall matched her career high with 16 kills as four Hawkeyes reached double figures. Iowa is now 12-11 overall and 1-8 in Big Ten play.

By the Numbers
  • Final score: USC 25-25-16-28-15; Iowa 20-22-25-30-9.
  • Iowa hit .297, its best mark in a Big Ten match this season.
  • Whittingstall had 16 kills; Ksenija Tomic had 14, Peyton Young 12 and Hallie Steponaitis 10.
  • Iowa recorded 8 aces to USC’s 5 and committed 9 service errors to USC’s 13.
Yes, But

Iowa showed resilience by winning the third and fourth sets, including a 30-28 fourth-set thriller. But after taking an 8-4 lead in the fifth, the Hawkeyes couldn’t sustain their pressure, and USC closed with an 11-1 run.

State of Play
  • Iowa has a 12-11 overall record and a 1-8 mark in Big Ten play.
  • The Hawkeyes are 1-2 in five-set matches this season.
What’s Next

Iowa hosts UCLA at Xtream Arena on Saturday at 6 p.m. The Pink Out match will air on the Big Ten Network and Hawkeye Radio Network.

Bottom Line

Iowa proved it can compete with a comeback, but closing out tight matches remains the challenge—especially when a strong start in the deciding set slips away.