AMES – Iowa State fell to No. 19 Utah in a five set thriller Wednesday night [25-19, 23-25, 25-18, 21-25, 12-15].
Junior Maya Duckworth and sophomore Pam McCune have been on and off the court due to injuries and illnesses, but they showed up against Utes.
Duckworth finished the match with a team high 23 kills at a .327 clip and McCune finished with a team high five blocks. McCune added eight kills to her name as well.
“They’re competitors,” Iowa State head coach Christy Johnson-Lynch said. “They lead by the way they play on the court.”
Duckworth explodes in set one
With their back against the wall down 18-14 in set one, the Cyclones turned to Duckworth to get them back into it.
Duckworth rattled off six kills in the final 12 points to help Iowa State win set one.
“I don’t know the last time I’ve done that if I’m going to be honest,” Duckworth said. “It was such a great feeling to come out and explode on the court like that.”
The last time a Cyclone had 20-plus kills was Duckworth against Kansas State back in October, so it was only fitting that she did it against Utah.
“She’s been trying to get back to herself,” Johnson-Lynch said. “I could see it happening over the last week, and it all came together tonight. I’m super happy she could catch fire like that tonight.”
McCune’s blocking presence
One thing the Cyclones have been lacking was blocking. The good thing for Iowa State is that blocking is McCune’s specialty.
“Blocking is literally my favorite part of volleyball,” McCune said. “I love being able to block people and just take their soul away from them.
McCune was a presence all night at the front of the net. Even if she was not blocking, she was getting deflections to help the back end.
In the final two points of set three, McCune followed up a ferocious block with a kill to seal the set for the Cyclones.
“It brings a ton of energy to the team,” McCune said. “Being able to be the fire starter really means something.”
Ending on a high note
It has been a disappointing season for the Cyclones, boasting their worst record since Johnson-Lynch has been leading the charge. Finishing on a high note against No. 11 Kansas Friday night will be something the Cyclones want to deliver on.
“Let’s have a blast Friday,” Johnson-Lynch said. “Play hard for your friends, family and each other. That’s all you need to worry about.”
The Cyclones will be seeking their first win against a ranked opponent this year.
“You just have to go out there with the mindset that there is nothing to lose, because there really isn’t anything to lose,” McCune said. “We’re still fighting for each other, our coaches and our fans.”
Iowa State’s match against Kansas will be in Hilton Coliseum at 7 p.m. Friday and will be streamed live on ESPN+.
