AMES – Iowa State volleyball opened its season Saturday morning with an exhibition sweep over the Drake Bulldogs.
Goolsby notches back-to-back aces, Cyclones command first two sets
Freshman outside hitter Alea Goolsby made her debut for the Cyclones, hitting four aces in the opening two sets. Goolsby’s first two came on back-to-back points in the first set.
“[Goolsby] does a lot in every aspect of the game,” Christy Johnson-Lynch, Iowa State’s head coach, said. “She’s one of those players who has the potential at any point to break it open.”
Johnson-Lynch remains optimistic that Goolsby and other young talents will continue to grow as the season opener approaches.
“You never know how freshmen are going to do for the first time in front of a crowd,” Johnson-Lynch said. “[Goolsby] is a standout player and we know that she’s got the potential to break things open in every match.”
Familiar faces return to Hilton Coliseum
Saturday’s action saw the return of seniors Morgan Brandt, Maya Duckworth, Tierney Jackson and Faith DeRonde. All four returning Cyclones contributed three or more points per set.
Duckworth recorded two aces of her own in a dominant second set, Iowa State’s only double-digit set win of the day.
“We continue to play as a team,” Duckworth said. “You go out there and finish things out, and we’re really starting to come together.”
Cyclones rally eight in a row to complete sweep
Iowa State fell behind 24-18 at the end of the third set, rallying from behind and escaping 26-24 in the final stages. Goolsby and Duckworth had the final touches on four of the last eight points.
“There’s an emphasis on finishing sets in practice,” Goolsby said. “[We] have some of the best upperclassmen leadership, and you just can’t ask for anything better.”
According to Duckworth, rally situations are nothing new.
“You go out there and finish it as a team,” Duckworth said. “It’s something we’re confident in doing.”
Iowa State opens the 2025 season on the road at the Ohio Tournament against Bucknell and Ohio on Aug. 29-30.
