The Iowa State volleyball team takes on the Saint Louis Billikens at 6:30 p.m. Friday in the Hilton Coliseum in its first match of the Cyclone Invitational. At 2 p.m. Sunday, they’ll play their second of the two matches against the Omaha Mavericks.
The Cyclones are coming off their first loss of the season Tuesday night in Cedar Falls against the UNI Panthers, where they lost 3-1.
Saint Louis match features two top 25 assists per set leaders
The Billikens come into the Cyclone Invitational with the same 5-1 record that the Cyclones do. However, the Cyclones carry a one-set edge on the Billikens within their overall records. Both teams feature top 25 assists per set leaders in the NCAA.
Iowa State senior setter Morgan Brandt comes in ninth, averaging 11.21 assists per set. The Cyclones are second in the nation in assists per set with 14.11. Meanwhile, Saint Louis freshman setter Jetta Brenning averages 10.37 assists per set, which is tied for 24th with Ole Miss’ Mokihana Tufono.
Both the Cyclones and Billikens have two players on their active rosters who average three or more kills per set. The Cyclones are third best in the nation in kills per set, averaging 15.16.
Iowa State junior middle blocker Pam McCune also has the fourth-best hitting percentage in the NCAA at .518, and senior middle blocker Tierney Jackson’s .484 percentage is 13th.
Omaha looks to snap five-game losing streak against the Cyclones
The Mavericks come into the Cyclone Invitational with a record of 2-3 on the season. Last weekend at the Flo Hyman Classic in Houston, the Mavericks were swept by the LSU Tigers and Houston Cougars and only won one set against the San Diego State Aztecs.
Senior outside hitter Kali Jurgensmeier comes in 12th in the nation in kills per set, averaging 4.75. As a team, the Mavericks’ hitting percentage of .286 is 29th in the nation. The Cyclones, however, are second in the nation with a percentage of .372.
The Mavericks come in with two reliable setters splitting the role rather than leaving it to just one, as sophomore Julia Owens and junior Davis Guetterman each average over five assists per set. The Mavericks used the same duo approach when they played the Cyclones in 2023, where the Cyclones won 3-1.
The Cyclones will face Saint Louis at 6:30 p.m. Friday and Omaha at 2 p.m. Sunday. Both games can be watched on ESPN+.
