Good start. Rough finish.

Sophomore Kara Hickey and senior Eve Soriano started Friday afternoon at the Ames Racquet and Fitness Center by improving their spring doubles record to 3-0. Unfortunately, the win failed to start a trend, as the Cyclones (0-1), dropped two of three doubles matches and were blanked 6-0 in singles by the visiting No. 20 Texas Longhorns (2-0).

Hickey and Soriano held a 7-4 lead in the eight-game pro-set before Texas’ Sarah Lancaster and Courtney Zauft made it interesting with wins in the next two games. The ISU duo rallied in the final game to take the match 8-6 and remain undefeated for the season. The Cyclones, however, were unable to score the doubles point, as they dropped the second and third position matches 8-2, 8-5 respectively.

Reflecting on their doubles success, Hickey attributed it to a combination of her chemistry with Soriano and the ability of her teammate to strike the ball exceptionally well.

“She’s [Soriano] a big hitter,” Hickey said. “She has a huge shot that can blow anybody off the court, I’m glad I’m on the same side as her.”

The singles matches were themed toward comebacks. After seemingly submitting to Texas’ dominance with weak first sets, several of the Cyclones gave the Longhorns all they could handle in the second. Senior Jill Palen and Hickey, playing at the top two spots, dropped their first sets 6-0 and 6-2.

Despite early woes, both competitors came on strong in the second sets, battling throughout their matches before finally falling in tiebreakers 7-6(4) and 7-6(3).

“The thing I liked about it was the fact that we had a lot of great second sets when we could have given up,” coach Michele Conlon said. “That was a good sign, we just don’t want to dig ourselves in a hole from the beginning next time.”

Initial setbacks could be the result of nerves.

“Personally I was a little jittery – actually the whole way through,” Hickey said. “Especially in the first set, and I think if we come out relaxed and have confidence, then we can take advantage and jump out early.”

Iowa State hopes to regroup this weekend when it heads to Rochester, Minn. to take on the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, at noon Saturday.