Perhaps brutal honesty is the best answer following a 2-27 record in a volleyball season.

“Last year and the year before, we had gaps [in play level],” said ISU volleyball head coach Linda Crum, in her third year at the helm.

“Our confidence was lacking last year,” said junior outside hitter Mandi Harms.

Sophomore middle blocker Steph Suntken, on last year’s mental approach for a conference powerhouse such as Nebraska (last year’s national champs): “OK, we’re going to lose.”

This year, as in last, gains will be minimal, but noted.

“One of the goals we set is to finish eighth or above in the Big 12,” Crum said.

This is a realistic finishing spot, she believes.

In USA TODAY/AVCA Division I Top 25 Preseason Poll, Nebraska ranked No. 1, Texas A&M is ranked 18 and Kansas State is placed at 19; while Baylor and Texas Tech each received votes.

All play Iowa State in conference games.

Last year the Cyclones finished 0-20 in the Big 12.

This year, they are ranked last in the pre-season conference poll.

“Playing and not being timid,” said Harms, is a goal for this season.

As is being more consistent.

Harms thinks confidence was lost last year when the team wasn’t consistent.

Consistency was lost when the team lacked confidence.

A goal Harms has set this season is to finish .500.

If true, a better team stems from the right kind of recruits for Crum.

“We can always get athletes better. We can’t always make skill players better,” Crum said.

Recruiting is at most a four year process, Crum said. “One good kid leads to another.”

Suntken was a raw athlete whom Crum picked up for her volleyball potential.

In 20 matches last year, Suntken was sixth on the team in kills.

“We set daily goals,” she said.

Every day, practice is intensive; going over skills in a laborious manner, Suntken said.

Practice builds toward a season with a different, and Cyclone volleyball players believe advantageous, scoring system.

Rally-scoring system means every serve will end in a point, with the first team to reach 25 points winning the game.

“I think it’s going to help,” Suntken said.

“It’s going to be better,” Harms said. “Last year we could side-out but not score.”

This year, a side-out is a score; which is good for a team that outblocked their opponents the past two seasons.

“With rally-scoring, playing well is critical,” Crum said.

And although the level of ISU’s play is judged differently than Nebraska, it is judged nonetheless by Crum.

“We want to be as competitive as we can,” Crum said. “It starts internally.”