Last season ended with heartbreak after the Cyclones lost a five-set game to Creighton in the NCAA tournament. Members of Iowa State’s volleyball team will look to rebound and continue their success this season.

The Cyclones went 20-9 overall last season while going 13-7 in the Big 12 conference. The American Volleyball Coaches Association had Iowa State ranked ninth overall in the nation when the season began. The team fell to 16th going into the postseason. In the final poll, it dropped to 25th after losing to Creighton in the first round in Minnesota.

The 2011 preseason rankings are yet to be released.

Current sophomore Kristen Hahn had some learning experiences last year.

“I have learned to never give up on a ball,” Hahn said. “I have learned how to become a better serve/receive passer and how to consistently and effectively serve.”

One of the keys for this year’s Cyclone team will be to improve in clutch situations late in the game. The team went 12-1 last season when matches were decided in three sets, but couldn’t win their five-set matches against Creighton or Texas. Hahn said that even with the loss against Texas, the play was at a high level.

Top players who will be returning this season include senior outside hitter Carly Jenson and junior middle blocker Jamie Straube. Jenson is a solid all-around player. She had 319 kills last season, earning herself an average of about three kills a set. She also had one of the highest serve percentages, at 92.9 percent with 24 aces.

Straube, a solid middle blocker, is also returning. She had a total of 110 blocks last season, including 16 of the team’s 41 solo blocks.

Hahn will undoubtedly add to effectiveness of her team’s defense.

“A few of my strengths are reading the hitters defensively, communicating and playing with pressure,” Hahn said.

Looking ahead at the schedule, the non-conference slate is solid. The team will face a tough opener against Cincinnati on a neutral court. Before the Big 12 season begins, it will play a tough five game stretch all on the road. Opponents during this stretch will include Florida (which lost only two matches last year) North Dakota State, Northern Iowa (which finished 14th in the AVCA rankings) and national powerhouse Nebraska (which is no longer on the conference slate).