Despite a drop in the rankings, the Kansas State volleyball team will still prove a formidable foe for Iowa State on Wednesday night at Hilton Coliseum.

The Wildcat squad dropped three spots to No. 18, but is no less a threat than when the Cyclones took it to five games in Manhattan on Oct. 1. The Wildcats captured the decisive 15-9 final game for the victory.

ISU coach Linda Crum said this time she knows her team can pull through with a win.

“They’re a good team, and we expect they’ll come with revenge on their minds. We have to have the mindset to show up and compete, and we have to have the confidence to be competitive,” she said.

In the teams’ last meeting, Kansas State posted a .278 hitting percentage to top Iowa State’s .134. Kansas State nipped Iowa State in digs and committed fewer errors, which proved crucial in the end.

The serving game was exceptional from both teams, as the Wildcats notched 14 aces and Iowa State had 11.

For Iowa State, it was freshman Erin Boeve’s first outing after a nagging foot injury, and she flourished with 13 kills on the night, setting a career-high.

Amanda Craig tallied 52 assists and 11 digs, and Nicole Lorenzen had 10 kills and 11 digs.

The Wildcats also had an outstanding night of offense, with 15 kills from Agata Rezende. Valeria Hejjas’s all-around effort produced 13 kills and 19 digs. Setter Gabby Guerre finished with 45 assists.

The Cyclones will have to use all their wiles to defeat Kansas State, which is fresh off a three-game sweep of instate rival Kansas.

The Wildcats are 14-7 overall and 8-4 in the conference, tied for fourth. Iowa State sits at 8-13 and 1-12 in league action.

Lisa Martin leads the Big 12 in hitting percentage with a clip of .389, and Guerre is seventh in assists with 11.29 a game. Joy Hamlin is fourth in blocks with 1.60 a game.

Angie Lastra tops the conference in service aces at 0.67 a game, trailed by teammate Hejjas in second with 0.57.

“The last time we played was great and we took them to five, and we were really proud,” said ISU sophomore hitter Katie Jessen. “This time, we can’t stop fighting, and our confidence and heart will mean more than technique.”

Crum said the squad will create its defense around Kansas State’s powerful outsides and increase its offensive tempo.

“We have been working on a faster setup to our outside hitters and also been increasing offensive options with our middles,” she said.

First serve is set for 7 p.m. at Hilton Coliseum.