When it comes to state rivalries, Iowa is known for its clash between the Cyclones and the Hawkeyes.

While cardinal jerseys typically clash with black in most athletic events at Iowa State, the Cyclone volleyball team collides even more with purple.

The ISU volleyball team travels to Northern Iowa Wednesday night for the in-state rivalry contest. The two teams have been strong competitors for a number of years, and the Panthers are displaying their eagerness to win by highly promoting the game.

In 2007, Northern Iowa broke its school record in volleyball attendance with more than 5,000 people packed into the McLeod Center for the annual Iowa State matchup. This year, the Panthers’ goal is to break that record.

“I’m excited that they’re promoting it so well,” said head coach Christy Johnson-Lynch. “I have heard a lot of buzz about it, and I think it has the potential to break the attendance record in the McLeod Center and that’s great for the support of volleyball and I think it’s great for Iowa volleyball.”

The manner in which Northern Iowa is promoting the event displays not only the rising interest of volleyball in the state of Iowa, but also the increase of the rivalry between the Cyclones and Panthers. Last season, Iowa State split with UNI after losing early in the season at Ames, but beat the Panthers in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

“It’s always a big rivalry,” said junior libero Ashley Mass. “They’re always out to get us, and especially this year with the target on our back.”

The promotion of Wednesday night’s matchup is splashed all over the Panthers’ volleyball Web site. Northern Iowa head coach Bobbi Petersen has created a video more than a minute long promoting the event and emphasizing the ticket price of only $1 each for the game.

With the number of tickets already sold displayed on the page and a countdown until gameday, the advertisement for the rivalry matchup is consuming.

“I know they’re really promoting it and I expect to see 5,000 or 6,000 people in the stands there,” Johnson-Lynch said. “We will learn how we are able to handle that kind of pressure on the road.”

As the Cyclones enter into the McLeod Center on Wednesday night, they may enter with the same crowd, if not larger, but will face a much different team.

Northern Iowa is full of new faces this season with eight freshmen and only one senior in the lineup. It will be hard for Iowa State to predict the Panthers’ game plan because of the young lineup they sport this year.

“The one thing I know about them is that they have a very active setter,” Johnson-Lynch said. “That’s something unique to them that we are going to have to prepare for.”

Panther setter Bre Payton has a year of experience under her belt in the position for the Panthers, and is a threat the Cyclones will need to keep their eyes on. Payton is not the prototypical setter, but rather has an eye for putting the ball down on her own, with the crafty dinks that opposing teams don’t expect.

“When you have a really active setter, you just have to be ready and it’s all on us,” said senior setter Kaylee Manns. “It’s just us having to be prepared and have to be ready for it.”

The 5-foot-8-inch Panther sophomore is known for tipping the ball over the net at the last second and has even led the Panthers in kills, acting almost as a fourth attacker at the net.

“We’ve been working this whole week with [assistant coach] Joe [Lynch], who has been really active at the net, and we’ve worked with our communication between middles and the outsides,” said sophomore outside hitter Rachel Hockaday. “The middle back also has to be aware for any dumps that go to the corner.”

As the Cyclones enter a probable sea of purple and gold Wednesday, they will aim to zone out the volume and pressure the crowd has so-often presented.

The Panthers will be ready for Iowa State, as revenge may be stirring after the Cyclones ended Northern Iowa’s season in 2008.

“They’re out to prove something, and I don’t blame them,” Manns said.