Despite throwing everything they had at the Cornhuskers, the ISU volleyball team still couldn’t close out the No. 2 team in the country, as they dropped a close four-set thriller (25-21, 20-25, 27-25, 25-18) in Hilton on Saturday night. It was the first time the Cyclones took a set from the Huskers in two years, but even after a hard-fought performance they dropped their seventy-third consecutive match to Nebraska. The loss comes just three days after the Cyclones took the No. 3 Texas Longhorns to extra points in Austin.

“I just feel like we’re getting closer every year,” said coach Christy Johnson. “From top to bottom on our roster we’re matching up better and better against the elite teams in the conference.”

The Cyclones sent a message to the Huskers early, as they ran out to a quick 5-0 start in the first set, immediately backing the Huskers against the wall. But behind a 5-kill performance from Tara Mueller in the set, Nebraska was able to come back and take a 10 match lead with a 25-21 win.

Nebraska got on top of the Cyclones early in the second set, but the Cyclones were able to find a way to run neck and neck with the Huskers for the majority of the set. After trailing 14-10, Iowa State rattled off six straight points to take a 16-14 lead that they never relinquished. It appeared as if Nebraska would stage another comeback, but a block by Jen Malcom and Rachel Hockaday at 21-19 gave the Cyclones all the momentum they needed to close out the set 25-20.

The deficit facing the Cyclones grew larger in the third set, as Nebraska took control with a commanding 20-11 lead. But behind three kills apiece from Kelsey Petersen and Victoria Henson, Iowa State managed to take 13 of the next 17 points, to tie the set at 24-24 after staving off four consecutive match points. But with a 25-24 lead and a chance to close out the set, a service error from Caitlin Mahoney swung the momentum back in Nebraska’s favor, winning the next two points for a 27-25 third set victory.

Signs of fatigue began to set in for the Cyclones in the fourth set, as the Huskers controlled the majority of the set by hitting .432 en route to a 25-18 victory.

Victoria Henson led all Cyclones with 14 kills, but also gave up 14 errors for a .000 hitting percentage. Jen Malcom added 10 kills with a .267 hitting percentage. And Nebraska’s Tara Mueller put down 16 kills on the night to lead all players, as Kori Cooper added 12 while hitting at a sizzling .524 clip. Sophomore libero Ashley Mass dug up 27 attacks in the four sets, running her school-record streak of matches with double digit digs to 41.