This will be the first real test of the year for the ISU volleyball team. Today, the No. 19 Cyclones will head to Florida to take on the No. 9 Gators.

This past Friday and Saturday, the Cyclones competed in the Iowa State Challenge and cruised past Southern Miss, Arizona State and in-state rival Iowa to improve to 6-0 on the season. In Gainesville, Fla., on Monday afternoon, it will be a much different environment. 

“It’s going to be a great test for us,” said coach Christy Johnson-Lynch. “A great atmosphere to play in and they’re a great team. We’ve got to handle the crowd, handle the gym handle the athleticism on the other side.”

The crowd will surely be something Iowa State will have to mentally block out. Florida has been averaging 3,323 fans per match, including the 4,631 fans who came to support the Gators against Florida State, featuring a program-record student attendance of 1,901.

“We’ve got to not be intimidated by the crowd and the atmosphere,” said senior Carly Jenson. “I’m just going to try to have that fire and go after every ball.”

Florida features a number of strong players including returning first-team All-American Kelly Murphy. When asked what she is going to do when facing Murphy, Jenson had two words: “block her.”

Murphy is second in the SEC in hitting percentage, averaging a .443 hitting clip this fall, while averaging .56 aces a set which is good for third in the SEC. Murphy also owns the only triple-double of 2011 for Florida with 12 kills, 10 digs and 17 assists against Florida State on Aug. 30.

“We’ve been working a lot in practice on talking a lot as a team and always knowing where the setter is,” said senior Jamie Straube. “We’re just going to need to communicate really well.”

The match starts at 12:45 p.m.

“It’s going to be just like going to play at Texas and Nebraska,” Johnson-Lynch said. “It’s a great test early in the season for us. If we can pass and ball handle and play great defense and be relentless, then we’re going to have a shot.”