The Cyclones took Texas to five sets before dropping the match when the teams faced earlier in the season.

When No. 14 Iowa State (17-3, 8-1 Big 12) plays No. 9 Texas (14-4, 8-1) in the rematch Friday in Austin, Texas, a different script will be difficult to write.

“They’re better than they were when they played us here,” said coach Christy Johnson-Lynch. “They have a different lineup than when they played us here. They’re more athletic. I know that place is going to be packed, so I think that will tell us a lot.”

After beating Kansas, Iowa State finds itself tied with Texas for the Big 12 regular season lead. Texas kept pace with the Cyclones by knocking off Missouri in a 3-0 sweep in its previous contest, coming in on a six-game win streak.

In the previous meeting in Hilton, junior middle back Jamie Straube led the Cyclones with 17 kills and three block assists. Senior outside hitter Carly Jenson also was impressive for the Cyclones, recording 14 kills and 16 digs in the loss.

Freshman outside hitter Haley Eckerman, a Waterloo, Iowa, native, was a thorn in the Cyclones’ side during the last matchup. Eckerman recorded 21 kills and five digs on the match. She averaged just more than four kills per set.

“We’re going to have to put pressure on them serving, and then we might try some blocking schemes against her just to put a little bit more pressure on her,” Johnson-Lynch said. “Really, we just have to play great defense, so we cannot afford to look at any balls. “

Jenson also knows that preparing for and slowing down Eckerman is no easy task. Jenson said she feels that the defense has improved since the past meeting between the two teams.

“We just have to try to slow her down,” Jenson said. “She hits over our block a lot, but our defense has been better, so hopefully we can dig her up.”

Blocking will be a key theme yet again for the Cyclones, who are ranked third in the Big 12 with 2.52 per set and are going up against the conference’s best offense. The Longhorns have a .319 average against Big 12 foes.

The Longhorns’ blocking game is impressive in its own right, giving up a league-low 10.69 kills per set. This will force the Cyclones to hit over and around their blocks.

This will be especially difficult due to the fact that Texas is one of the taller teams in the Big 12.

“We’re all so excited,” Straube said. “I think ever since that loss here, it’s in been in the back of our mind, you know, we take care of every match along the way. But we’re ready for that next shot against Texas, so I think everyone will be ready to go.”