AMES – Iowa State finished the Cyclone Invitational with a 2-1 record after dropping its final match 3-2 against Illinois on Sunday. The loss gives the Cyclones a 3-2 record on the year.
Iowa State followed up its five-set match against Wake Forest on Friday with yet another five-set match on Saturday, making it their fourth match that has gone to the fifth set through five matches on the season.
The Cyclones won the first set 25-22, fueled by a 5-0 run to go up 21-19. Iowa State retained the lead and won off of a Fighting Illini error.
In the second set, when the teams were knotted up at 19, the Cyclones defense dialed in and only allowed one more Illinois point, winning the set 25-20 to take a 2-0 set lead.
Following the second set, the Fighting Illini began to lead the attack and dominated with a 25-17 win. Illinois continued the strong offense to tie things up at two sets apiece when they won the fourth set 25-21.
In the final set, it was neck and neck until the Fighting Illini won four in a row to take an 11-7 lead. They never gave the lead back and won 15-13.
Block party continues from McCune
After two strong defensive matches on Friday and Saturday from Pam McCune, she kept it going against Illinois and had a career-high 10 total blocks.
The 10 total blocks increased her season total to a team-high 24 blocks, nearly half of her 2023 season total of 52.
McCune also added six kills, hitting that mark with an efficient .500 hitting percentage while only having one error.
Duckworth and Gonzalez lead the offense
Junior outside hitter Maya Duckworth and sophomore outside hitter Nayeli Gonzalez contributed the most kills for the Cyclones, with 13 and 12 kills, respectively.
Gonzalez leads Iowa State with 68 kills on the year, with Duckworth being a distant second with 43.
Despite battling a sore shoulder the entire weekend, Gonzalez was second in kills every match for the Cyclones throughout the Cyclone Invitational.
Ran out of gas
Although Iowa State won the first two matches of the weekend and led 2-0 early against the Fighting Illini, the long weekend proved to be too much for the Cyclones.
Iowa State had eight errors in the third set, followed by six in the fourth and four in the final set, helping Illinois make the comeback after trailing 2-0.
The Cyclones also allowed the highest opponent hitting percentage of the weekend, a number they have limited for their opponents all weekend.
Iowa State will be back at home at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 11 in the 56th rendition of the Cy-Hawk volleyball battle. The game will also be live-streamed on ESPN+.
