Editor’s note: a previous version of this article misquoted Elizabeth Slaughter. The article stated Slaughter said losing the championship “sucked,” when she did not use that word. 

The ISU women’s volleyball club went from unknown to known in a matter of three days last season. The club doesn’t have a blemish on its record and has won all 11 contests so far this year, including two tournament titles.

A season ago, the club saw itself heading into to the National Collegiate Volleyball Federation national championship tournament as the 48th overall seed. Only 48 teams made up the field.

As the last team to sneak in, the club wound up one of the last teams to exit the tournament. The Cyclones lost to Texas A&M in the semifinal match that sent them home from Kansas City with a third place medal.

This year, the club wants to take the next step and be better then last year’s team. The players, instead of holding their collective breath for a seeding, they want to be in the top 20 in the country.

The wants the national championship this year, said junior club president Elizabeth Slaughter. 

The club is right on track with that goal. The team traveled to Iowa City for its first tournament and clearly had the upper hand over the teams that were there.

The club cruised through pool play winning both games, which then set up a semifinal matchup against Iowa. Iowa was unable to match the skill of Iowa State, which catapulted the Cyclones into the championship against Missouri. Iowa State came away as the tournament champion with a 4-0 record.

The club, with one championship already under its belt, headed to Purdue in hopes of another. Once again, the club cruised through pool play with a 3-0 record.

In the quarterfinals, the team played the Iowa State B-team and defeated it without any problems — then defeated Ohio State in the semifinals. Iowa State then faced tournament host, Purdue, in the finals. Once again, the team came away with the title.

“In the first two tournaments, I liked what I saw,” Slaughter said. “We have a lot of potential, and we need it to show on the court.”

An undefeated record doesn’t always mean things are clicking 100 percent. In the club’s eyes, the focus level needs to change if the team wants to go after the national championship crown.

“Our focus level in practice needs to get better,” said senior Caitlin Ward. “With no focus, we can’t get better, and we need to get better to contend for a title.”

As a member of the National Collegiate Volleyball Federation, the club plays in tournaments around the Midwest and is in the women’s Division-I bracket. On a competitive level, the club believes it could compete with an NCAA Division-II team.

Based off tryouts, the club splits into three teams: A, B and C. The B and C teams are Division II and III, respectively.

“We have a target on our backs and we want that target to get bigger,” said senior Erin Rettenmaier. “When the target gets bigger, that means we get better.”

The team will look to continue its perfect season when it travels to Kansas on Nov. 7.

“We have the perfect amount of returners and newcomers that will help when we need the experience and talent,” Rettenmaier said.