In a brutal clash of color, cardinal and gold met orange and black when the ISU volleyball team stepped on the court at Ames High School for the first time.

Due to damage from the flooding of Aug. 11, the Cyclones have been forced to trade the towering caverns of Hilton Coliseum for the tight, 2,000-seat gymnasium for the rest of the season.

The team’s annual intrasquad scrimmage Saturday served as the first opportunity for it to adjust to such a wildly different setting.

“It’s really different here after being in a big gym,” said sophomore middle blocker Jamie Straube. “It’s going to take awhile to get used to. And once we get this place packed full of Cyclone fans I really think it’s going to be awesome. I’m excited.”

With the home opener two weeks away, the team will spend as much time as it can at Ames High in an attempt to adapt to the changes before the Cyclones welcome UW-Milwaukee on Sept. 3.

Several factors contribute to the difficulties of playing in a different gym, and the Cyclones hope to master those elements and turn a packed Ames High into a serious home-court advantage.

“I think it’s going to be awesome, it’s going to be nuts,” said coach Christy Johnson-Lynch. “It’s going to be loud to a point that can’t even hear what’s going on, and I think it’s going to be a really tough place for opponents to play.”

Straube led all players in blocks and kills during the scrimmage, finishing the match with 13 kills on a .474 hitting percentage.

Freshman Tenisha Matlock added 11 kills in an impressive performance during her first action in a Cyclone uniform.

However, while Straube and Matlock provided a few bright spots, the coaching staff still has plenty on its minds after Saturday.

“I don’t think I’ve ever come away from a scrimmage happy,” Johnson-Lynch said. “You just never feel great because you see so many things you need to work on or you think certain players would play a lot better than they did.”

Iowa State has been known for its great passing under Johnson-Lynch’s tenure, but the coach was surprised at the fairly average display of serving and passing in the match.

Johnson-Lynch believes part of that problem may be due to different conditions with air flow and depth perception in the new gym, which she hopes will be overcome with time.

The Cyclones, ranked No. 9 in the AVCA preseason coaches poll, open the season at the AVCA Showcase in Omaha next weekend where they will face two ranked opponents in No. 13 Florida and No. 14 Kentucky.

Junior middle blocker Deb Stadick sat the scrimmage out due to a foot sprain, but is expected to practice again this week and will be ready for the season opener on Saturday.