It may not be time for spring cleaning, but the ISU volleyball team has done plenty of sweeping.

The Cyclones swept the Baylor Bears on Saturday night, which was the sixth time in 11 matches that Iowa State has only needed three games to get the win.

“It was just nice taking our first Big 12 win, sweeping them, getting the job done in three,” said junior Erin Boeve. “It will give us confidence in the upcoming Big 12 games.”

Although it only took the team three games to get the win, it was not an easy match. The Bears hung around in every game, pushing Iowa State to the very end.

“We were ready from point one, and the thing I am most happy about is we stayed aggressive at the end of games, something we have been harping on,” said ISU coach Christy Johnson.

Boeve was a force to be reckoned with for the Cyclones, recording 17 kills, seven block assists and two solo blocks.

“You kind of get in a rhythm with your setter, I think that really helps,” Boeve said. “It’s just momentum – you just build off each kill and block.”

Game one saw both teams trading points as neither was able to establish a rhythm. There was an astounding 13 ties and four lead changes. Mistakes played a big role as each team had multiple service and hitting errors.

Strong net play gave the Cyclones a late edge as they pulled away, with the final point coming on a block by Jessica Klein and Kaylee Manns, as Iowa State took the game 30-26. Boeve led the way with two solo blocks as Iowa State outblocked Baylor, 5-2.

“Boeve is such a physical presence that if she is on, she is pretty hard to stop,” Johnson said. “There just aren’t many people who can match up with her.”

Iowa State came out sharp in game two, taking a quick 6-2 lead. After that, the breaks started falling Baylor’s way, as the Bears climbed back into contention. Missed hits were falling in, balls that hit the net would roll over and tips were finding holes in the defense.

The Cyclones got back on track by returning to their strength – blocking. Three blocks in a row sparked a run that saw Iowa State take a 17-12 lead, but the pesky Bears refused to go away. After Baylor took a late lead, the Cyclones scored the last six points and won the game, 30-27, to take a 2-0 lead into the intermission.

Game three followed the same plot as the first two. Iowa State came out fast, dominating the net and taking advantage of Baylor miscues, as the Cyclones took a 19-15 lead. After making a big kill, Klein ran to the bench, her fist pumping with excitement. It was a great representation of the Cyclones effort the whole night.

“I was actually a little worried coming in, because I didn’t know we practiced all that well this week, but we came ready to play,” Johnson said.

As they closed in on the victory, the Cyclones seemed to be teasing the fans who wanted a sweep. They had a few miscues as game point neared, creating a fan frenzy.

Klein finally obliged, putting the Bears out of their misery with an emphatic kill that gave Iowa State the game, 30-25, and the match.

Again Iowa State got big nights from its big two, Boeve and Katie Jessen. Jessen chipped in 11 kills and had some key blocks.

“Those two a lot of times determine how we go,” Johnson said. “It’s nice to know that if someone has an off-night those two can step up.”