The ISU volleyball team will transition from one ranked conference team to another within a week, and this time it’s hoping for different results.

The next obstacle won’t be any less challenging when the Cyclones host No. 24 Texas A&M (8-7, 1-5 Big 12), a team that has a conference record that doesn’t represent its performances.

The Cyclones (11-7, 4-3) were defeated by No. 20 Kansas State over the weekend, succumbing to the Wildcats in three straight games. The loss ended a three-match winning streak for Iowa State, including two Big 12 victories.

“We didn’t play our game against them,” said junior libero Katie Churm. “It was a tough loss.”

The team’s tendency this season of learning from its losses and taking the next step forward was evident after the loss in Manhattan.

“We were somewhat disappointed at Kansas State, but on Monday and Tuesday’s practices we put a lot behind us,” said coach Christy Johnson. “Our team does a good job of that, of not spending too much time on particular games.”

The return to Hilton is a welcome change for the team, and Churm said the team has more of a home court advantage this year than any other. Johnson said bigger crowds and increased fan support have improved the confidence of the players on their home court.

The Aggies are 8-7 overall and 1-5 in the Big 12, but the squad has also encountered several teams that toppled the Cyclones. Nonconference matchups against top-25 teams like Southern California and Florida have also skewed the Aggies record.

The Aggies recently took a 3-1 match against Oklahoma, only three days after nearly taking down Texas in five.

Churm said the team is hoping to use the Cyclones’ heightened success as a foil against Texas A&M.

“We know they have been sort of down lately, and hopefully we can use the momentum of our big wins against them,” she said. “We are definitely better than they’ll expect, but only if we do as well as we can.”

A&M libero Holly Clay is second in the conference to Churm, averaging 4.32 digs to Churm’s 4.78. The team is third in digs, just behind No. 2 Iowa State, and the Cyclones slipped one notch under Kansas State in the blocking category after the Wildcats kept the team to four blocks.

Johnson said a key to the team’s success would be to slow down the play of Aggie senior Laura Jones, who leads the conference in kills with 5.77 per game. She is second in the nation in kills, and was also named Big 12 Player of the Week the week of Sept. 12.

“She is a great left side with the ability to terminate, probably one of the best left sides in the country,” Johnson said. “Anyone who wants to be successful against that team has to slow her down.”

Jones has pummeled 35 kills in the team’s match against LSU, and followed that with 30 in the win over Oklahoma.

Johnson said the team will be prepared for her, but that it can’t spend too much time on just that one aspect.

“Generally we play well when we’re worried about our side of the net,” she said.

“For a building team it doesn’t matter who you play, as long as you can handle the pressure and take on a top tier team.”