After playing 11 non-conference matches, the ISU volleyball team will kick off the Big 12 conference schedule Wednesday when they host Texas A&M at 6:30 p.m. in Hilton Coliseum.

The last weekend before conference play was kind to the Cyclones (8-3), who are riding a three-match wining streak after three consecutive sweeps at the Iowa State Tournament on Friday and Saturday.

Iowa State had experienced some inconsistency on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball early this season, something the team hopes it straightened out Saturday, when they hit a combined .371 while holding opponents to a dismal .092 in two matches against Drake and Xavier.

“We were a little hesitant on making some plays earlier in the year,” said freshman right side hitter Rachel Hockaday. “But I think we’re starting to communicate a lot better, and we’re getting used to playing with each other, and that’s really going to help us out all around.”

A strong offensive performance may be just what the Cyclones need against the Aggies (5-5), who have been struggling to put together cohesive defensive performances all season. The Aggies are currently dead last in the conference in opponents’ hitting percentage (.203) and blocks (2.11 per set).

The Aggies, who were ranked two spots ahead of the Cyclones in the Big 12 preseason poll, are still no slouch, despite their less-than-impressive statistics. Three of the Aggies’ losses were against teams ranked in the top 25 at the time of the match, and all five have come on the road. Four of Texas A&M’s five wins were recorded in College Station, including a 3-1 upset over then-No. 16 BYU two weeks ago.

Unlike last season, the Cyclones are not playing their conference opener on the road, and the match will mark the first time since 2003 that they have played five straight matches at home.

“It’s been really nice to be home, since we have been traveling so much,” said coach Christy Johnson. “But A&M returns almost everybody, and they’re going to be very physical and very athletic. They are going to be a typical Big 12 team — well-rounded and well-coached — which is the way it’s going to be all season in this conference.”

Before the Iowa State tournament, Kelsey Petersen was the lone member of Cyclones’ highly-touted freshmen class who had yet to see the floor, as the coaching staff was considering red-shirting her for the season. But the red-shirt was burned Saturday afternoon against Drake, as the staff found more reasons than not to give the freshman time on the court this season.

“She is such a great blocker, and we feel that we can use her situationally right now,” Johnson said. “And as she gets better, if she gets more time she’ll get more comfortable and will play more and more. She’s a special kind of athlete. She’s jump-touching over the [10-foot] rim, and we want to be able to find a way to use her, while at the same time letting her get used to playing at this level.”

Through the non-conference season, three Cyclones are currently sitting at the top of the Big 12 in individual stat categories. Senior middle blocker Jen Malcom leads the conference in hitting percentage (.437), while junior setter Kaylee Manns leads in assists per set (11.92) and sophomore libero Ashley Mass is first in digs per set (5.92). The three are 11th, 11th and 23rd in the nation in each of those categories, respectively.