The Iowa State Volleyball team headed south last weekend for some action against the University of Texas and Texas A&M, but failed to bring home their first Big 12 win. Iowa State is now 4-14 overall with a 0-6 record in the Big 12.

“We are starting to play better. I was pleased with our team’s performance over the weekend,” said Jackie Nunez, Iowa State head volleyball coach.

The Cyclones challenged nationally ranked No. 8 Texas, winning the first game of the match, 15-13. But Texas came back strong, with a 15-0 win in the second game. Texas then took the last two games, 15-9 and 15-7.

Staci Smith, sophomore outside hitter, led the team in kills with 16, and had 12 digs. Senior outside hitter Sonya Van Helden added 13 kills, and also had 12 digs. Smith and Van Helden were the only Cyclones getting into the double digits in kills, while five players from Texas had over ten kills.

Texas’s Sonya Barnes lead with 18 kills, while preseason Big 12 player of the year Demetria Sance had 13 kills. Sance had a career high 22 digs in the match.

Sophomore setter Julie McGrath started for ISU on Friday, posting 30 assists, while Jen Lansink, recovering from a kidney stone, was able to add 14 assists.

The Cyclones then went to battle Texas A&M on Saturday, losing in a three game match, 15-6,15-9,15-9.

Rachelle Van Scoyoc, senior middle blocker, led the team in kills with 11, with Sonya Van Helden and Staci Smith both adding ten kills. Iowa State had 41 kills to Texas A&M’s 58. Jen Lansink had 23 assists, and Julie McGrath had nine.

“We played two tough teams, and in both matches, we showed that we can play with teams like that,” said middle blocker Jodi DeVries. “I think that we can even beat them.”

“Total effort-wise, we have been playing a lot better, and eventually the wins will come if we keep playing hard,” DeVries said. “We tried to mix things up a little, which helped.”

“I think that we have a bright future ahead of us,” said DeVries, “We can turn our season around.”

“We had a different lineup. Jackie was doing something new,” said Staci Smith. “Whatever it was, it seemed to work.”

“We had a great match. It really ran well. Everyone really gave it their all,” Smith said.

“We changed our lineup, mixing up the rotations and who is playing next to who,” Nunez said. “Hopefully we will create more strength and more balance. We have really been emphasizing a strong defensive game.”

“What happened in game two against Texas was they changed their matchups against us and our team could not adjust. It affected our rhythm. Texas came out and just executed and blocked extremely well,” Nunez said about the 15-0 loss.

“To be in the top ten, you have to have multiple hitters. Sometimes we will have up to three hitters with double digit kills, but we do rely on Van Helden,” Nunez said. “Van Helden is our heavy hitter — I feel that she did a really good job putting the ball away.

“Lansink has recovered, but I am looking for more opportunities to allow McGrath to set,” Nunez said. “Julie is a big reason why we beat Texas [in game one]. She is naturally an extremely smart setter. I think that she will be very, very good.”

“We are starting to play better, and with a lot more heart and effort. We are committing to the process of what it takes to win,” Nunez said. “We’ve had the toughest portion of our conference schedule. We have played the top teams, and have had a tough go at it on the road.”

The volleyball action continues this weekend at Kansas State on the 18th, and at Kansas on the 19th.