The Iowa State Cyclone Volleyball team has not had the best of luck recently. It opened the season 2-12 (including an 0-2 mark in the conference). So the last thing it needed to arrive in Ames this weekend were two national powerhouses.

Unfortunately, when your luck has run colder than an Ames October, things can always get worse.

This did not seem to be the case, though, on Friday night as the Clones hosted Baylor. The Bears are having a very deceiving year, posting a 6-7 record so far.

They may appear beatable, but then you look at the schedule and notice that the Bears have been beaten by four nationally rated teams. Add into the mix volleyball superstar Elisha Polk, and you could guess that it might be a long night for ISU.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel, though. Last year the Cyclones played arguably their best match of the season against Baylor and pulled off an impressive upset. So, now you have to ask yourself, will Baylor avenge their loss from last year, or were the Clones going to come up with another solid outing against the Bears on this evening?

The beginning of the match would seem to back the first statement as the Bears rolled. When the smoke cleared, the score of the first game was 15-2.

The Cyclones did not fold. Soon, they were back into the mix and evened the gap at 6-6 in the second game.

That would be the closest it got, as they dropped the second game 15-10.

Now it was gut check time, and it seemed as though the momentum was changing.

The Cyclones quickly rolled to a 6-2 lead, and some were starting to think this may be their game. Those thinkers would be proven wrong as Baylor won the game and match 15-9.

The Clones were lead by the strong middle play of Virginia Hoss, who had 11 kills. Stacy Nicks added 7 kills, and Julie McGrath set the table with 30 assists in the three games.

Kia Young and Elisha Polk were solid all night, compiling 29 kills between the two of them.

The Clones had little time to dwell on their losses as they were to face Texas Tech on Saturday.

The Red Raiders came to town boasting a 10-4 record (0-2 in conference play). The Clones would have their hands full on the evening, trying to contain Kristen Holmes.

This would prove to be a difficult task since she would be taking assists from Lisa Hilger, Texas Tech’s all-time assist leader.

The Clones played well in their first two games, but not well enough as the Raiders won both 15-7 and 15-9.

Then it got ugly. Texas Tech was absolutely awesome for the duration of the match.

The Tech team won the match with a 15-1 game three victory.

Iowa State was led by the tandem of Hoss and Nanette Allen, who combined for 24 kills.

McGrath added 30 more assists to the record books.

The Clones did a great job on Holmes, who had only 7 kills on the night.

Hilgers dished it up 32 times, including 24 to Courtney Putnam and Sonia Moric.

The losses dropped the Cyclones to 2-14 on the year and 0-4 in the conference.

This week the team will host Missouri on the seventh and Kansas on the ninth at the Forker Building at 7 p.m.