ISU volleyball coach Christy Johnson-Lynch said from the time she knew that Hilton Coliseum would play host to an NCAA regional final, her team’s goal was to qualify for it. 

The Cyclones came up one match short.

The ISU volleyball team (19-10, 10-6 Big 12) fell in the second round of the NCAA tournament to No. 10 Illinois (26-7, 16-4 Big 10), ending its season.

“As disappointed as we were tonight, I could not be more proud of the perseverance and fight and battle that this team showed,” Johnson-Lynch said.

Illinois swept Iowa State 3-0 (27-25, 25-18, 25-18) on Dec. 6, stifling a hot ISU team that had won seven of its previous nine matches on the way to a second place finish in the Big 12 and a complete turnaround from an initial 3-5 conference start. 

The catalyst for Iowa State’s resurgence, the likes of which are rarely seen in any sport so deep into the season, was a schematic shift to a 6-2 attack from the 5-1 attack that the Cyclones had employed for most of the season.

The switch improved the team’s offensive options and led to the incorporation of players like freshman setter Monique Harris, defensive specialist Branen Berta and redshirt sophomore hitter Morgan Kuhrt into prominent roles.

Unselfishness made the transition seamless and the once 11-8 team was reinvigorated, sky-rocketing to new heights and surprising everyone, even themselves in the process.

“A little over a month ago, we were not looking very good and I think there were some major doubts that we would even be in a position to play in the tournament,” Johnson-Lynch said. “The team, they just kept at it…and we suddenly turned a corner and had a great last third of the season.”

The team success spawned individual accolades and made all-conference selections out of senior hitter Victoria Hurtt and junior libero Caitlin Nolan, who also won the Big 12 Libero of the Year Award.

Standout freshman middle-blocker Alexis Conaway was named to the Big 12 Honorable Mention team.

The magical run came to an end against a highly rated Illinois team that was playing on its home court when it took on Iowa State. The combination of that advantage and the talent of the 10th ranked Fighting Illini was too much for the Cyclones to overcome.

The first set was tight down to the wire, as Illinois took a 24-22 lead before Iowa State won two consecutive do-or-die points.

The teams traded blows again, as the Illini gained another set point opportunity at 25-24, to which the Cyclones countered with a Conaway kill, evening the tally once more at 25-all.

Illinois turned to All-American Jocelynn Birks in the pivotal first stanza, who crushed the final point of the set and Iowa State’s chances at a Sweet 16 berth on its home court.

The next two sets were not highly competitive, as Illinois responded effectively to the formidable ISU 6-2 attack.

“We had talked about earlier in practice…what shots would be open and I think right away I found them,” said junior hitter Mackenzie Bigbee. “They kind of adjusted, so I had to make my adjustments too as the game went on.”

Bigbee led the way for Iowa State with eight kills and a .389 hitting percentage but it was not enough.

The Illini defeated the Cyclones in the battle of adjustments and won each of the next two sets by identical scores of 25-18 to complete the sweep.

While the loss marked the end of the season for all ISU players, it also marked the end of the careers of both Hurtt and senior Taylor Goetz.

Hurtt finished her last match in an ISU uniform with eight kills, three digs and one block assist. Goetz did not play against Illinois, as her role began to diminish somewhat after the team’s transition to the 6-2 style.

Volleyball is not over in Ames, however, as Hilton Coliseum is the site of an NCAA regional final. Matches will take place Dec. 12-13.