The Cyclones went 1-2 on their road trip against the field at the South Dakota Classic in Vermillion, South Dakota. The 1-2 weekend gives Iowa State a 5-4 overall record.
During the three days at the tournament, the Cyclones dropped matches against UTEP and South Dakota and won against Montana State on Sunday.
Before the South Dakota Classic, Iowa State defeated in-state rival Iowa 3-1 in Ames, and it had won three of its last four matches leading up to the weekend.
Match 1: UTEP
The Cyclones started the weekend flat-footed Friday night, getting swept 3-0 by UTEP. It marked the first time this season that Iowa State has gotten swept.
The Miners had a 5-1 record going into the match, which proved too much for the Cyclones’ slow play.
One of the biggest difference makers from the match was the errors. Iowa State had 21 total errors, including nine in the third set, compared to the 11 from UTEP.
Because of the lack of discipline and some unfortunate hitting, the Miners dominated the hitting percentage battle and put up the highest number for a Cyclones’ opponent this year at .337. Iowa State had its lowest of the year at .087.
Freshman Rachel Van Gorp was a bright spot for the Cyclones with 17 digs, but there was not enough collective success to keep Iowa State in it. The final score was 3-0 (25-17, 25-23, 25-15).
Match 2: South Dakota
Despite improvements going into Saturday, the Cyclones were defeated in their second match by the host school, South Dakota, 3-1.
There were a few powerful performances from Iowa State, especially junior setter Morgan Brandt and redshirt sophomore outside hitter Lilly Wachholz.
Brandt, who entered the match needing two assists to hit 2,000 in her career, easily surpassed that mark. She set a new season high and became the 12th Cyclone to hit the 2,000 mark with 56 against the Coyotes.
On the attack, Wachholz set a career-high in kills and led Iowa State with 18. She had an impressive .471 hitting percentage against South Dakota and was crucial in keeping it close for the Cyclones.
Two close sets to start the match put the Cyclones down 2-0, but they earned the third set to put them on the board. Iowa State could not keep it going into the fourth set, losing 3-1(25-23, 25-22, 25-19, 25-20).
Match 3: Montana State
The Cyclones bounced back Sunday morning against Montana State, winning 3-0 to end the weekend (25-21, 25-20, 28-26).
This match looked a lot more like the Iowa State we saw earlier in the week against the Hawkeyes. Everyone was contributing and helping the team towards a win.
As for the offense, three Cyclones had over 10 kills, with sophomore Nayeli Gonzalez leading the way with 16. Junior Maya Duckworth and Wachholz added 11 and 10, respectively. Iowa State had a .262 hitting percentage and held the Bobcats to .211.
On the defensive end, the Cyclones played together to get 11 total blocks. Sophomore Pam McCune led the team in that aspect with four.
Following this weekend, Iowa State holds a 5-4 record. The Cyclones get back into action Thursday against Colgate in Hamilton, New York.
