As an Iowa State opponent, it doesn’t matter what aspect of Kelsey Bolte’s game you choose to attack — she will still find a way to hurt you.

Whether it’s from behind the arc, through the lane, or in between the ball and the basket on defense, the guard has a knack for influencing the outcome of the game in one way or another.

Bolte led the Cyclones in scoring in each of the first three games of the conference schedule, averaging 18.7 points per game against three higher-ranked Big 12 opponents. She is currently third on the team with 9.8 points per game, and from an offensive standpoint, the sophomore from Ida Grove has really started to come into her own this season.

“We certainly hope [Kelsey’s success] continues, because one thing we have been searching for consistently is a third scorer,” said Fennelly. “She’s started to be more aggressive, to take the ball to the basket a little more, and she looks like she wants the ball more instead of just relying on shots when the ball is kicked to her.”

When Bolte is on fire, she’s shown she has the ability to take over a game — See five second-half three-pointers as a freshman against Georgia Tech in the 2008 NCAA Tournament. But what happens when she struggles offensively? She makes sure the opposing offenses struggle just as much.

As a result, several dynamic players in the Big 12 will get the pleasure of having Bolte in their face the whole game.

“Sometimes she may not be putting up points,” said senior Heather Ezell. “But when that happens she steps up and does more for us on the defensive end than we need her to on offense. She has a great ability to stay close to her player and run through screens, so we almost always put her on the other team’s best player.”

In the team’s fourth Big 12 game of the season against Missouri, Bolte’s hot streak came to an end as she had a less than impressive line in the box score.

With her offensive game suddenly ice cold (shooting 1-of-8 from the field), she made her presence felt on the defensive end instead, and may have had a bigger influence on the game than anyone else.

The Tigers present one of the best 3-pronged offensive attacks in the conference, and the leader of that offense, senior Alyssa Hollins, has led the Tigers in points for the last two seasons.

But thanks to Bolte, Hollins was held scoreless in the first half and was held to one assist and a season-low five points in the game. Bolte also grabbed a team-high nine rebounds.

“It was one of those games that she was disappointed that she wasn’t making any shots,” Fennelly said. “But when you guard their best player and lead the team in rebounds, you’re still doing great things.”

And not only does she make an impact in games, but her personality traits and calming attitude allow her to be a great teammate both off the court and during practice, teammates say. Her teammates know that she’s a big part of keeping the mood up, stress levels down, and everybody level-headed throughout the course of the long season.

“She always makes us laugh during practice,” said junior Alison Lacey. “She’s really an easy person to be around and the most mentally laid back person I think I’ve ever met. She can just shrug off things that a lot of people would get really upset about and can move on to the next thing.”

With the first game of February on their doorstep, Bolte and the rest of the Cyclones are buckling down for the final two months of the season, ultimately leading up to a chance at the NCAA Tournament.

“This is the time of year that everyone is starting to look at possibilities,” said Fennelly. “I’m not smart enough to know how many you have to win to get in, but I think in our league if you’re a team that’s still in the upper division you’re in a good position.”