VOLLEYBALL: ISU libero earns honor for early-round play

Ashley Mass passes a ball against Wichita State on Saturday at Hilton Coliseum. Iowa State swept Wichita State 3–0 to advance to the NCAA Regionals in Omaha, Neb., where they will face Big 12 rival Nebraska. File photo: Gene Pavelko/Iowa State Daily

Gene Pavelko

Ashley Mass passes a ball against Wichita State on Saturday at Hilton Coliseum. Iowa State swept Wichita State 3–0 to advance to the NCAA Regionals in Omaha, Neb., where they will face Big 12 rival Nebraska. File photo: Gene Pavelko/Iowa State Daily

Kayci Woodley —

Each week, College Volleyball Update chooses a National Player of the Week, along with 11 top performers. This week, CVU.com chose ISU libero Ashley Mass as a top performer after her efforts against George Mason and Wichita State last week in the first and second rounds of the NCAA tournament at Hilton Coliseum.

The junior averaged six digs per set in the Cyclones’ two victories. Against Wichita State, Mass also posted three assists. The Muskego, Wis., native chipped in a service ace and four assists for Iowa State against George Mason in round one of the tournament last Friday.

The Cyclones travel to Omaha on Friday night for the first game of the Omaha Regional against the No. 10-seeded Cornhuskers. Iowa State and Nebraska split earlier in the season, and Mass’ 25 digs against the Huskers in Lincoln helped slow down the Nebraska offense in the Cyclones’ five-set victory to hand Iowa State its first-ever win over the Huskers in the history of the series.

Against Nebraska at home, in front of a Hilton Coliseum crowd of more than 10,000, Mass remained consistent as she compiled 18 digs in the three-set game.