Two Big 12 teams have beaten ISU volleyball this season.

Unfortunately for the Cyclones, those two opponents are both top-10 teams and have accounted for all four of Iowa State’s conference losses.

In a rematch of the Oct. 3 matchup in Austin, Tex., Iowa State (16-8, 9-4 Big 12) fell to No. 5 Texas (22-2, 12-1 Big 12) for the second time this season on Saturday in three sets (19-25, 18-25, 21-25). The loss marked the Cyclones’ fifth defeat to a top-10 team this season in five tries.

“We knew we’d have to be really good tonight to win or to have a chance,” said head coach Christy Johnson-Lynch. “And we were just average. We were just kind of ‘okay.'”

Iowa State currently sits third in the Big 12 standings — trailing just Texas and Kansas. The Cyclones have won every game against opponents below them in the standings. 

The winning and losing trends seem to support Johnson-Lynch’s “average” assessment of her team’s play Saturday. Iowa State has won the games it has been favored to win and lost when deemed the “underdog.” The Cyclones have met, but not exceeded, expectations in terms of wins and losses.

Against Texas, in particular, redshirt junior Morgan Kuhrt attributed the loss to a lack of drive.

“I think we just lacked a little bit of fire on our side and that sense of urgency,” Kuhrt said. “It wasn’t really there. It was at times, but not enough.”

The Cyclones recorded their second-lowest hitting percentage on Saturday, .083, against a Longhorns’ defense ranked first in the Big 12 opponent hitting percentage and second in blocks per set.

Redshirt sophomore Samara West — entering the match at No. 3 in the Big 12 in hitting percentage, .388 — did not record a single kill on the night.

Iowa State expected Texas to be stingy at the net, and the Cyclones tipped around the blocks several times, but ultimately, the Longhorns showed the upper hand. Texas’ 10 blocks on the night marked its seventh match with a double-figure block total.

“We certainly had trouble getting kills,” Johnson-Lynch said. “We knew that could be a problem against a team like Texas, and we just weren’t able to get many kills for many players.”

Iowa State also expected Texas to be tough in-system coming into the match. During her press conference on Nov. 9, Johnson-Lynch emphasized the importance of serving tough to the Longhorns — getting them out of rhythm and system to snatch easy points.

However, especially early on, the Cyclones could not keep the Longhorns out-of-system. Texas recorded a .407 hitting percentage in the opening set, preventing the Cyclones from mounting any momentum early. And although their percentage decreased as the match continued, the Longhorns remained efficient enough to stall the Cyclones.

“I think something that we need to work on is serving,” said senior Caitlin Nolan. “We just let them be in-system too many times. With a team like Texas who was so many weapons, you can’t really do that.”

As postseason play approaches, the Cyclones must turn their efforts toward overcoming those expectations — both internal and external — in order to beat the top-10 caliber opponents that will inevitably stand in their way.

There’s only one solution for Johnson-Lynch and the Cyclones, and it involves equal contribution from every player on the roster.

“Not every part of our game has to be better, but each player has one or two things that they have to be really good at,” Johnson-Lynch said. “We get everybody playing [their] role really well, we’ve got a great shot.”