Losses are all but inevitable in sports, but it’s up to the mental strength of the team to find a way to get past and build on them. 

In the wake of a shocking 3-1 loss at the hands of Kansas, the ISU volleyball team may have gotten its wake-up call for the rest of the 2010 season.

“I hate to admit it, but you learn more from a loss,” said middle blocker Jamie Straube. “I think from that we took the mentality that we need to come into every single game ready to play. Every team is good, every win is important. And I think we’re responding well to it.”

Several close, unconvincing wins preempted the Oct. 9 loss in Lawrence, and the Cyclones (12-4, 5-3 Big 12) hope it can ultimately give them a jump-start in the right direction.

After having no problem with Kansas State at home Wednesday, the Cyclones now will take the same confidence and focus into their match against a very unpredictable Texas A&M team Saturday.

“I think everyone is really ready to go now,” said setter Alison Landwehr. “Everyone’s mental state is really focused and ready to put everything into the match.”

The Aggies (9-9, 3-5 Big 12) vaulted themselves into the spotlight by sweeping then-No. 8 Texas last month, but came tumbling back down to reality after losing badly on the road to Kansas and Colorado, then being swept by Kansas State at home.

They will enter Saturday’s tilt with the Cyclones on a four-match losing streak, but still offer plenty to worry about.

The ISU coaching staff will have a big circle around Kelsey Black’s name this week, as she has done nothing but be a headache for all Aggie opponents.

After losing two All-Big 12 hitters from last season, A&M needed Black to step up in a big way, and she has done just that, currently ranking second in the Big 12 in kills per set, with 4.10.

“She is an absolutely terrific athlete,” said coach Christy Johnson-Lynch. “Wherever you put her, she’s going to get kills, so we’re going to have to do a really good job against her.”

The Cyclones do have a bit of a leg up on getting ready to face such a powerful offensive weapon. Preparation for Black will bring a lot of similarities from earlier this week when the team was getting ready for Kansas State, also a fairly one-dimensional offense driven by a talented outside hitter.

Iowa State passed their first test against the Wildcat’s JuliAnne Chisholm, who was held without a single kill and hit -.227 on 22 swings.

Johnson-Lynch also made a note that A&M features a freshman starting setter. The team is hoping to possibly exploit this situation that often brings about tentativeness in running an offense in Big 12 play.

Rounding out the coaching staff’s improvement wish list for practice this week is increased offensive production from positions other than the outside.

Senior Victoria Henson leads the Big 12 in kills per set, with 4.20, and likely has opposing coaches talking about her much in the way Johnson-Lynch has done about Black.

“We’ve been hoping to get more kills out of our middles and right sides,” Johnson-Lynch said. “We want to make practice more game-like this week, especially for our setter, middles and right sides so they can get a better feel for how to connect in game situations.”

First serve between the Cyclones and Aggies is scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday at Ames High School.