Until this weekend, Jenelle Hudson had been unsure of her role this season on the ISU volleyball team.

For much of the season, the freshman setter from San Diego and coach Christy Johnson-Lynch had discussions about the possibility of using a redshirt.

After a 3-3 start to the season, Johnson-Lynch felt it was best to put Hudson on the court now.

“I felt compelled to play her — we do have such significant holes in our defense — she’s a tough sever and a great passer, and I felt like we were really lacking in those areas, and she could help shore that up for us,” Johnson-Lynch said.

So Thursday evening, Johnson-Lynch told Hudson to be ready — that she would take the court during the weekend.

“That was a very difficult decision to make — whether or not to redshirt her — but she was supportive of whatever we wanted to do,” Johnson-Lynch said.

Hudson said there wasn’t much preparation with the everyday players leading up to her first match due to the uncertainty. 

“I didn’t practice in the rotation very much, because I wasn’t expecting to play — I was expecting to redshirt,” Hudson said.

On Friday against Eastern Washington, Hudson started for the Cyclones. Throughout the weekend, in Iowa State’s three total matches, Hudson appeared in all 11 sets.

In the three weekend matches, Hudson contributed 19 digs and 11 assists as the team went 2-1.

Johnson-Lynch said the redshirt decision may not have been the same had the team started the season differently, adding she felt Hudson could be a big part of capping off victories against top teams down the road. 

“We felt like she was a piece to that, that she could have a significant impact, especially in November,” Johnson-Lynch said. “Not that what we had out there wasn’t good.”

Five-set matches taking toll

In five of the team’s first nine matches this season, the match has gone to five sets. With 18 regular season matches remaining and a program record of eight five-set matches, the team is going long in matches at an extremely high rate early on.

“I think it’s just kind of been how we’ve been a little up and down this season so far,” said setter Alison Landwehr. “When you go to five, you do learn a lot, though, so that is something that will help us in the long run I think.”

Against Iowa on Friday evening, the Cyclones had six match point opportunities to put their in-state rival away in three sets. Instead, they ended up beating them in five.

“I think one thing that we do need to learn from those games is we’ve had several chances where we could have just won in three,” said middle blocker Jamie Straube. “In a way, it’s almost a good thing that we’re learning that now heading into the Big 12 and heading into a tough game with Nebraska.”

Iowa State will take on No. 1 Nebraska this weekend at 1 p.m. at Hilton Coliseum.