The time for ISU volleyball to set the tone is now.

As Iowa State (7-4, 0-0 Big 12) prepares for its matchup against Texas Tech (12-3, 1-0 Big 12), the Cyclones realize the significant implications attached to this match. Saturday’s match is the first of 16 conference contests, and early conference success is critical.

“[The start] is huge,” said redshirt junior Natalie Vondrak. “The way we start the conference this year will definitely set the tone for the future.”

In 2014, the Cyclones did not begin the conference schedule as they’d hoped, falling to both TCU and Texas on the road in a combined seven sets. The Cyclones then found themselves having to battle back at the end of the season just to try to qualify for the NCAA Tournament.

Although the Cyclones began winning more during the latter half of the conference schedule — winning six of their last seven matches — it took the late-season push to draw even with Kansas and Oklahoma at 10-6 on the year.

“We did not like [how we started] last year,” said ISU coach Christy Johnson-Lynch. “We kind of dug ourselves in a hole, and we were just scraping at the end of the season. We don’t want to put ourselves in that position [again].”

The opening Big 12 matches have additional implications because of the high bar that ISU volleyball players and coaches have set for the season.

The Cyclones were chosen in a preseason poll to finish second in the conference behind Texas, for whom Johnson-Lynch herself also voted. The Longhorns suffered only one conference loss in 2014 and are currently sitting at No. 2 in the national rankings.

However, before the season even began, Johnson-Lynch made it clear that this team was setting its sights on winning the Big 12 conference. Thus, if the Cyclones want to achieve this goal, the match against Texas Tech becomes even more crucial.

“We’ve set our sights pretty high for this season in the Big 12,” Vondrak said. “So there’s definitely added pressure.”

To coincide with the additional pressure, the commencement of conference play brings a number of other factors to the table. Conference teams know one another better than non-conference teams, having to play one another twice a season. Rivalries are built, playoff implications are on the line and fan sections rally behind their teams.

A new environment is created with all of these factors set in place. Regardless of which teams are playing, Big 12 play is just a little bit different.

“The intensity picks up [during Big 12 play], especially this year,” Vondrak said. “I mean, we’re competing for a Big 12 Championship. The focus definitely increases.”

With Texas Tech in particular, the intensity may especially pick up when one considers a complication that occurred in the two team’s opening matchup Oct. 18 of last season.

After Texas Tech won the match in five sets, Johnson-Lynch filed an appeal concerning a call that was made. The appeal lead to the teams replaying the final set from the score 8-5, Texas Tech. 

The second time around, the Cyclones won the set 18-16, taking the match as well. Vondrak said there may be some “fire” and “animosity” coming from the Red Raider side of the court Saturday.

Johnson-Lynch agrees.

“I think [Texas Tech] still may remember some of the drama from last year,” Johnson-Lynch said. “There could be some fairly intense feelings [Saturday], especially from their side. We need to make sure we just stay composed and perform well on our side.”