After overcoming adversity on the road with a weekend win at Oklahoma, the ISU volleyball team faces another important match, again on the road.

The Cyclones took care of the Sooners in four games to set the school record for most conference wins in a season. Iowa State wraps up its first round of Big 12 matches with a trip to Lawrence to face a struggling Kansas squad.

The Jayhawks have fallen in three straight matches, the last being a 3-0 sweep by No. 7 Missouri. The game places them at 12-6 overall and 4-5 in the Big 12, but the team is ranked only one place behind the Cyclones.

With a similar record (12-8, 5-4 Big 12), Iowa State may be facing its closest competition yet in an intimidating locale.

“Road matches are always a challenge, and they have a good, loud volleyball environment,” said ISU coach Christy Johnson. “We need to go in there ready to play in that type of environment.”

Johnson said the team’s morale was lifted by its win at Norman, and it will be an important tool going into a match that is crucial for both teams.

Junior hitter Nicole Lorenzen said the match at the Horejsi Family Athletics Center will be both a blessing and a curse.

“They have a great atmosphere and great fans, and we have to make sure we don’t get down,” she said. “When no one is out there cheering for you, you have to create your own energy.”

Both coach and athlete agree the Cyclones will find success if their defense is amplified.

“We played tentative defense on Saturday, and we have to emphasize that no ball hits the floor without great effort,” Johnson said. “Being able to play well at the end of close games will get us far.”

Kansas is led by the consistent hitting of senior middle blocker Josi Lima, a three-time all-Big 12 First Team selection. Lima was named Big 12 Player of the Week on Sept. 19, as well as the Sports Imports/AVCA National Player of the Week.

Lima is ranked 12th in the conference at 3.59 kills per game. Jana Correa is one place above her with 3.6 kills a game, but she will be an important factor the Jayhawks will be without for the remainder of the season.

Correa suffered a season-ending injury against in-state rival Kansas State on Oct. 5.

“She was a key player for them and it affected them, but they will work out of it,” Johnson said. “They had a few matches since her injury that made a little difference, but they’re over it.”

The team is second in service aces behind the play of Emily Brown and Andi Rozum, both of whom are ranked in the top 10 of the Big 12.

Part of Kansas’ artillery is senior setter Rozum, who dishes out 13.27 assists per game.

ISU junior Jessica Klein joined sophomore Erin Boeve on the Big 12’s blocking charts, putting up 1.18 blocks per game to Boeve’s 1.72. Katie Churm continues to lead the conference with 4.57 digs per game.

Kansas leads the all-time team series 33-32, but the Cyclones say they can even the score this year.

“This match is very important for both of us, and our win against Oklahoma has kept us motivated,” Johnson said. “But we know we can’t blow teams out of the water; we have to win close games.”