Despite a tight battle against the Longhorns in Austin, Texas, on Friday night, the Cyclone volleyball team fell 3-0 (25-22, 26-24, 25-17). No. 10 Iowa State improved its transition game, a goal for the team, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the No. 2 Longhorns on their home court.

Texas (7-0, 2-0) started off quickly with 5-0 run in the first set, but after a time-out from head coach Christy Johnson-Lynch the Cyclones (9-2, 1-1) found their first kill from junior Victoria Henson.  

Henson’s kill wasn’t enough to jumpstart Iowa State, however, as the Cyclones continued to trail by five points or more until a kill by senior setter Kaylee Manns put the Cyclones within two points of the Longhorns at 15-17. Iowa State and Texas continued to battle back and forth until the score was tied after a setting error by Longhorn Ashley Engle, putting the score at 22-22.

A time-out by Texas brought the Longhorns back into the game as they went on to win the next three points after two attacking errors by Iowa State and a kill from Texas senior Destinee Hooker, who led the Longhorns in set one with seven kills.

“For the most part, it was a competitive match,” Johnson-Lynch said. “Whether it was a serve, set or error, there were opportunities where we just couldn’t capitalize.”

Henson was the only standout for Iowa State in the first set, with four kills, and led the Cyclones in the game with a dozen total. Sophomore outside hitter Rachel Hockaday finished with nine kills and 10 digs.

“Our outsides played pretty well tonight,” Johnson-Lynch said in Friday night’s press release. “I also thought that Deb [Stadick] had a pretty good match, but it just wasn’t enough tonight.”

The second set started off better for Iowa State, which came out 3-0, and was tied 12 different times. At 22-22, after an attacking error by outside hitter Juliann Faucette, the Cyclones were yet again just three points away from a win. But the Cyclones could not overcome Texas in the end, losing 26-24.

“Iowa State is a really quick transition team, so we had to change our game to play their game,” said Longhorn head coach Jerritt Elliott in a press release Friday night. “They were pushing the ball over as quick as they could, so we had to respond, scramble, and it kept us off balance. That’s why they are a really dangerous team.”

Although Iowa State may not have come out on top in the second set, the Cyclones did all they could, defensively, to keep the ball off the floor.

“They battled,” Hooker said. “They didn’t let any balls fall. You could tell they wanted it really, really bad. They had the heart.”

The Cyclones’ heart and effort wasn’t enough to push past Texas as set three was owned by the Longhorns from the start. With another six kills from Hooker, the Horns hit .310 as a team. Hooker finished with a double-double after 18 kills and 10 digs, while adding two block assists and a service ace.

“She [Hooker] is going to get kills no matter what you do to contain her,” Johnson-Lynch said.

Iowa State will try to focus on finishing in the upcoming matches, after letting opportunities slip by in the final points of both sets one and two of the Texas game. The Cyclones travel to Waco, Texas, to face Baylor on Wednesday for another Big 12 battle.