The Iowa State volleyball team picked up its second win of the season in as many tournaments last weekend at their annual home tourney, the Iowa State Invitational.

Unfortunately for the Cyclones, they also chalked up losses three through five.

Head Coach Kerry Miller and her squad ended the weekend 1-3 with an overall season record so far of 2-5.

The Cyclones defeated the Chicago State Cougars on Saturday in straight games but fell to Wisconsin-Milwaukee later in the day. The Cyclones lost both Friday matches, a five-game heartbreaker to the Indiana-Purdue Jaguars and a four-gamer to Montana.

The loss to the Jaguars could not have been more frustrating for the young Cyclone team.

After a convincing 15-7 win in game one, the Cyclones found themselves down 8-4 in game two. After tying the game and actually taking a 9-8 lead, Iowa State again fell behind, this time 14-9.

Miller’s squad showed a lot of poise, though, and took the next seven points, winning the game on an ace by Nanette Allen.

In game three, the Cyclones again found themselves down by as much as five and again came back to close the gap, but they couldn’t hang on long enough to avoid a 15-13 defeat.

This loss seemed to take the wind out of their sails, as they dropped the next two games and the match.

Sarah Pieper and Virginia Hoss led the ISU effort, with Pieper notching 58 assists and Hoss picking up career-highs in kills and digs with 30 and 18, respectively.

The shocked Cyclones couldn’t recover in time for their evening tangle with the Lady Griz, who rolled to a four-game victory (15-12, 11-15, 15-11, 15-10).

Allen had 18 kills and 13 digs in the effort, both team highs.

The team showed heart Saturday, though, in coming back from a disappointing first day to annihilate a Cougar team that, in addition to failing to win a match so far this year, has not notched a victory in well over two full seasons (15-2, 15-4, 15-6).

Freshman Melissa Duffield highlighted the match with 10 kills, and senior Julie McGrath added 24 assists. The Cyclones as a team hit a season-high .330 from the floor.

The momentum, however, did not carry over into the evening contest, in which the Cyclones fell to eventual tournament champion Wisconsin-Milwaukee in three ugly games (15-6, 15-6, 15-7).

The .330 hitting percentage dropped to -.069 in this match, as the Cyclones committed 32 attacking errors and only managed 25 kills.

Hoss and Allen were the leaders of the improving volleyball squad this weekend, both earning spots on the all-tournament team.

Hoss led the Cyclones in kills (56) and assists (19) over their four games. Allen was second in kills (41) and led the team in digs (40).

Sarah Pieper also turned in a steady performance, leading the Cyclones in assists (134).

Coach Miller and the volleyball team are back in action tonight at Hilton Coliseum, where they take on the Northern Iowa Panthers at 7.

The Panthers are led by sophomores Alexandra Auker and Jeni Schneckloth, senior Kerri Eich and juniors Shannon Perry and Holly VanHofwegen.

Eich tallied 35 kills and 18 digs in three matches at the Florida State Classic tournament a week ago.

Perry garnered 103 assists while VanHofwegen collected 13 kills and four blocks against the highly touted Florida State Seminoles in the tournament’s final match.

Schneckloth had 26 kills and 10 blocks in three matches, and Auker led the team in kills and digs on the weekend.

The Panthers are currently 4-2.