After taking down an Illinois team that went to the national championship last season on Saturday, the ISU volleyball team’s focus has switched gears.

The Cyclones get a break this weekend without games, so coach Christy Johnson-Lynch said they would be working on improving the little things in practice.

“I feel like each person has a few things we need to tweak and get better at,” Johnson-Lynch said Monday. “I think we learned Saturday we’re capable of beating a pretty good team, but we can’t take that for granted.”

The three-set sweep was the third match of five for the Cyclones’ spring season. A doubleheader against Creighton and North Dakota State didn’t provide the showing the team was looking for, but libero Kristen Hahn said they were determined to turn it around after that.

“We weren’t satisfied with just winning one, we wanted to win the next one,” Hahn said of the Illini bout. 

Last season, senior Rachel Hockaday was hampered by a knee injury and wasn’t able to get back into a rhythm until later in the season. 

Hockaday finished with 13 kills against the defending runner-up Saturday and said she at last feels back in her old groove. 

“It’s taken a really long time to feel back to my old self, but I finally do,” Hockaday said. 

With two games to go, the Cyclones are 2-1 this spring in a schedule Johnson-Lynch made more competitive than normal. Beating one of the most successful teams from last season was one thing, but Johnson-Lynch said the key will be the direction Iowa State goes from here. 

“If we could play like we did on Saturday on a consistent basis, I think we’re better than I thought we’d be at this point, but that’s probably the challenge is having our leadership step up and making sure we play and train that way every day,” Johnson Lynch said. 

Part of the spring season is seeing how different players can fit in different roles and do different things. From switching positions to tweaking styles, the coaching staff has been trying to get the most out of every player over the spring. 

Johnson-Lynch said setter Alison Landwehr set the best she’s seen from her in a long time Saturday. Landwehr credited it to becoming more comfortable, but said a change in her style allowed her to do so as well.

“We’re trying something where I’m not jump setting as much, which is weird for a setter, but it’s been helping me a lot and just working really helped,” Landwehr said. 

Players not normally used to passing also have been learning how to do so this spring.

It’s been a work in progress, but Hahn said last weekend was a big step in the right direction. 

“Things have been going really well and I think if we just keep continuing to encourage each other and make sure that we work on staying focused when we’re passing next to each other will help out a lot,” Hahn said. 

The team will resume games April 12 against former Big 12 foe Missouri. Both teams will collide in Centerville, Iowa, for a 5 p.m. start.