A clean victory on Thursday was followed up with a disappointing showing on Saturday for the Iowa State volleyball team in a series split against Kansas State.

The emotions of the final home weekend of the season were there for the Cyclones, as some players experienced their final moments at Hilton Coliseum.

There were many things to reflect upon for head coach Christy Johnson-Lynch, including hitting and preparing for the final week of the regular season.

Inconsistent hitting

The Cyclones have yet to hit their stride when it comes to putting together a full match of hitting night in and night out. This inconsistency showed against Kansas State, with Iowa State posting a .231 hitting percentage in Thursday’s 3-1 win and .133 in the straight set loss on Saturday.

Overall, Iowa State has only finished a match with a hitting percentage over .200 in three of its last nine matches. With a season average of .228 coming into the weekends, these numbers will not be enough to result in many wins.

If the Cyclones do not get this under control it will likely result in a pair of losses at the hands of Baylor during the coming week.

Holthaus returns

After missing three consecutive matches due to Big 12 Health and Safety protocols, Eleanor Holthaus made her presence felt upon her return. 

Holthaus returned to her top form instantly, leading the team in kills for both matches against the Wildcats with 17 and 11. Only recording five digs in the two matches is something that is not normal for her, but she expects that part of her game to come back with time.

“The first day was a little rough at practice coming back, but I felt good, I am ready to go and I am ready to finish out the season strong,” Holthaus said.

The final stretch

There are two matches left on the schedule for Iowa State, coming against Baylor in Waco, Texas. Baylor is currently ranked sixth in the nation, holding a 10-2 record in Big 12 Conference play.

The team has one goal in mind and that is to play the best volleyball it can in the final week of the regular season.

“This team has bounced back, we’ve had plenty of adversity believe me,” Johnson-Lynch said. “We’ve got to keep our chin up.”

With an opportunity for a postseason berth hanging in the balance, the Cyclones will need to do everything in their power to secure a bid.