After defeating Creighton last week in its first match of the spring season, the ISU volleyball team will travel to Lincoln, Neb., this weekend for a face-off against Nebraska.

The Cyclones (1-0) defeated Creighton 3-2 on March 28, 2013 in Harlan, Iowa, starting the spring schedule off in the win column. ISU junior Victoria Hurtt led the Cyclones with 14 kills against the Bluejays, while sophomores Andie Malloy and Mackenzie Bigbee had 11 each in the victory.

Although Iowa State was victorious against Creighton, its lack of experience and structure at times did begin to slow the team down.

“I think things went kind of rocky at first,” said ISU senior and reigning Big 12 Libero of the Year Kristen Hahn, who led the Cyclones with 15 digs against Creighton. “But it was evident in the fifth set that we can come out and play unbelievably, with a huge amount of intensity and just take over games. I think just being able to find that is going to be really key for us.”

Iowa State took over at the end of the Creighton match, winning the fifth set 15-6.

This weekend, the Cyclones will face a much more formidable and seemingly unbeatable opponent. Of the 82 times Iowa State and Nebraska have faced one another since 1977, the Cyclones have won just twice, including a 3-1 victory against the then-No. 1 Huskers in Hilton this past September. 

The first program victory against Nebraska came in 2009 in Lincoln. 

“They’re always just so athletic every year,” said ISU coach Christy Johnson-Lynch. “You could do everything right, but if someone’s jumping higher than you, it’s still hard to stop them. But what’s exciting for us is I feel like we’re closing that gap.

“We’ve been closing that gap for the last several years and we’ve still got some work to do, but we feel like we continue to just match up better with them over the years.”

Nebraska finished second in the Big Ten last season with a 26-7 overall record. After beating the Cornhuskers last fall, the Cyclones feel as though a momentum shift in the series may be underway.

The Cornhuskers are a young team this season, just like the Cyclones, who have matched Nebraska’s postseason success the past several years.

“I kind of think it’s in the past,” said ISU sophomore Caitlin Nolan. “It’s time to move on and hopefully get a win this weekend.”

The Cyclones and Cornhuskers are set to face off at 6 p.m. on April 6 in Lincoln, Neb.