Being able to win close games can make a big difference. Being able to win close games on the road in the Big 12 conference can make all the difference. 

Last Saturday, the ISU volleyball team went into College Station, Texas, to face Texas A&M. The Aggies were 7-0 at home before facing the Cyclones, who won in four sets (25-21, 25-23, 23-25, 25-23) and emerged unscathed still sitting atop the Big 12.

“It can be a tough atmosphere to play in, and it’s a really good team,” said coach Christy Johnson-Lynch. “[Texas A&M] is really athletic, they have a great tradition there so it wasn’t surprising to me that it was as close as it was.”

The game was not only close in score, but the two teams nearly mirrored each others’ stats. Iowa State actually had fewer kills than A&M with 53 to their 55. That marked the third time that the Cyclones have had fewer kills and still won the match. Iowa State managed six aces to the Aggies’ four. 

With her performance Allison Landwehr crossed the 2,000 assists milestone on Saturday. Landwehr had 44 of the team’s 49 assists in the match to bring to her a career total of 2,018. Landwehr also tied her career-high in digs with 14 against A&M in posting her third-straight double-double and 20th in her career.

On the defensive end it was the same pattern. Iowa State recorded 75 digs to Texas A&M’s 70. This was the second time that the Cyclones have tallied at least 75 digs this season, the other being the five-set win against Florida.

“We were streaky,” said senior Carly Jenson. “Our defense is really scrappy, and we got it done basically. We did let them get back into some games, but we were the aggressor and went out and got it done.”

Being able to win the close games is something that Johnson-Lynch said she thinks is great about this year’s team. The players can’t help but agree. 

“[Winning close games] shows we have a lot of confidence and we’re definitely resilient,” Jenson said. “We want to win all those games. We want to get that Big 12 Championship and this is the year to do it.”

Iowa State continued its balanced attack on the offensive side of the net against A&M. Jenson led the Cyclones with 17 kills and 10 digs, adding another double-double. Behind Jenson was middle back Jamie Straube who had 10 kills following right behind her were Tenisha Matlock, Kelsey Petersen and Victoria Hurtt, tallying nine, eight and six kills respectively. 

Filling in off the bench for a struggling Hannah Willms, Hurtt tallied up four block assists to go along with her six kills.

“Hurtt came in and did a fantastic job,” Johnson-Lynch said. “She blocked probably as well as I’ve seen her block this year. I was excited to see that, and I’m sure she was excited to see that too.”

Moving ahead to this week, Iowa State will face Kansas at home on Wednesday and then will head to Austin, Texas, to face the Longhorns who are tied with the Cyclones for first place in the Big 12.