It’s amazing the difference a few weeks can make.

On Oct. 1, the ISU volleyball team dropped its fourth straight conference match for the first time since 2005 in a heartbreaking five-set loss at Missouri.

A little more than three weeks later the Cyclones got another chance at the Tigers at home, and their opponents saw a completely different performance by Iowa State.

“We knew we played really, really awful down there,” said coach Christy Johnson. “That was probably the worst match we played all year. So I felt that if we could just execute our game plan and play well, we could play a good match.”

As poorly as the Cyclones played in Columbia, they made a complete 180-degree turn to make up for the first of three five-set losses on the road this season.

The offense was the biggest story of the afternoon, as its hitting percentage jumped 0.159 compared with the last match against the Tigers.

“This is great for our team to come out and not play like we did against them the first time,” said senior Jen Malcom. “We really came in and took care of what we needed to. I think we have really grown as a team since we played [against Missouri in Columbia], and can handle these teams and situations a lot better now.”

The match also marked the first match of the second half of the conference season, as the Tigers are the first team the Cyclones have faced for the second time this year. After a few letdown road losses in the first half of the season — Missouri included — Iowa State was looking for this kind of second-half start.

The Cyclones ended the first half with a home upset of No. 13 Kansas State and put that momentum to good use in Saturday’s match to prevent another letdown.

“I think momentum is really big for us,” said Johnson. “So far this year we would have a great match, then turn around and play a bad match and lose. But now we played a great match against K-State, then came out and had another great match tonight, and now it’s important for us to keep that rhythm.”

The newfound momentum will be tested in the next Cyclone home match Wednesday, when the Baylor Bears come to town tied with the Cyclones at fourth place in the Big 12.

Next weekend Iowa State will face its biggest test of the season, an afternoon road matchup against undefeated No. 2 Nebraska (20-0).