Coach Christy Johnson was asked which team in the Big 12 is most like the Cyclones’ first-round opponent in NCAA Tournament, San Diego.

“Probably us,” Johnson said. “Their strengths are ball-handling, defense and getting the ball to the middle blocker, which is pretty similar to us.”

When the two teams meet up at 5 p.m. Friday in Madison, Wis., the Cyclones (17-13, 11-9 Big 12) and Toreros (21-7, 11-3 WCC) will both be riding hot streaks and trying to move out of the first round for the second year in a row.

Sophomore setter Kaylee Manns said Iowa State needs to take care of what it can do in a match where both teams do not know much about the other.

“The most important thing is to play our own game and not to come out and get in their style,” Manns said. “We’ve been playing great the last couple of games, so we just need to keep playing the style of ball that we have been playing.”

One thing Iowa State will have to do that it struggled to do when in its 3-2 loss to San Diego last season is slow down Torero middle blocker Laurel Abrahamson, who had 16 kills in the match.

Abrahamson is averaging 3.72 kills per game this season on a .379 hitting percentage, while averaging 1.1 blocks per game.

“We have to contain her,” Johnson said. “She is a great attacker and a good blocker.”

The Toreros are co-champions of the West Coast Conference with Santa Clara, while the Cyclones finished fifth in the Big 12.

Johnson said the experience of playing in a conference like the Big 12 will help in several ways in the tournament.

“Night in and night out, we have to play some of the best teams in the country,” Johnson said. “The facilities and crowds that we play in front of will help us to in Madison.”

Less than two weeks ago, a back-to-back trip to the Big Dance looked like a long shot for Iowa State.

The Cyclones were on the verge of a loss at Kansas, down 2-1, but roared back to win that match in five games.

Iowa State then took down a nationally ranked Oklahoma team and nearly took down No. 3 Texas to solidify its

at-large bid.

Senior middle blocker Erin Boeve, who was named All-Big 12 for the third consecutive season, said the comeback in the Kansas match is why Iowa State is in the tournament.

“I’m glad it happened, because, if it didn’t, I don’t know if we would be where we are today,” Boeve said. “I’m just glad that we are playing our best volleyball right now.”

Possible rematches loom

If the Cyclones win on Friday, they will play at 7 p.m. Saturday against the winner of Wisconsin and Northern Iowa. Iowa State defeated UNI 3-0 earlier this season and Wisconsin was the team that ended the Cyclones’ season with a sweep last year in Madison in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Iowa State also defeated Wisconsin 3-1 during the spring season in Ames.

Johnson said not having to spend all week preparing for unfamiliar teams is an advantage.

“Even though we will have to watch tape on all three, we are pretty familiar with two of the teams and have played San Diego,” Johnson said. “If I say someone’s name on the other team, everyone of our players knows who I’m talking about.”

Senior right-side hitter Lauren Cummings said the Cyclones are only looking at San Diego, even though they have some history with the other two teams in the subregional.

“We have to take it one game at a time,” Cummings said. “Hopefully we can win and look at Wisconsin; we did really well in the spring against them.”