Iowa State beats Wichita State 3-1 to finish 1-1 at Bluejay Invitational

Senior Jess Schaben makes the save after a speeding spike from the Oregon State beavers on Aug. 25.

Jack Shover

Iowa State beat Wichita State 3-1 in the second and final game of Bluejay Invitational.

In the first game on Friday, Iowa State lost to No. 14 Creighton 3-1.

Jess Schaben led the Cyclones to a 25-17 win in the first set with seven kills, a .400 hitting percentage and three digs.

Iowa State jumped to a 2-0 lead after taking the second set 25-19.

After that set, freshman hitter Eleanor Holthaus had six kills and a .600 hitting percentage. On defense, Holthaus registered two blocks.

Against Creighton, Iowa State finished the game with 45 kills and a .156 hitting percentage.

Schaben finished the game with 16 kills and a .208 hitting percentage while Lazard had 11 kills and a .292 hitting percentage.

The next set, Wichita State cut the Cyclones lead to 2-1, winning the third 25-22.

Iowa State then took the game by winning the fourth set 25-20.

In the game, Iowa State’s Hali Hillegas recorded her third game with at 30 digs with exactly 30 digs.

The team also had nine blocks compared to Wichita State’s one.

On the attack, Iowa State had three players with double digit kills in Schaben, Holthaus and Josie Herbst.

Herbst set a career high in kills with ten while also having an efficient .391 hitting percentage.

Holthaus also had ten kills but a .200 hitting percentage, while Schaben led all players with 17 kills on a .317 hitting percentage.

Iowa State’s usual setter, sophomore Piper Mauck, didn’t play against the Shockers as freshman Jenna Brandt got the start and recorded 46 assists.

Senior middle blocker Grace Lazard had another solid game with a statline of 9 kills, a .389 hitting percentage and five blocks.

Against Creighton, Lazard had 11 kills and a .292 hitting percentage.

Next up for the Cyclones is a trip to face No. 7 Nebraska in Lincoln, Nebraska, which will be Iowa State’s second game against a ranked opponent this week.