After suffering two opening losses in the Big 12, the ISU volleyball team began to regain some lost momentum with a victory against West Virginia Oct. 4.

The Cyclones (8-5, 1-2 Big 12) look to even the score in conference play Oct. 8 against the Kansas State Wildcats (15-2, 2-1 Big 12).

“Saturday was good to get that first conference win,” said sophomore Suzanne Horner. “[It helped] just to get a little confidence, which I do think will play into how we do at Kansas State. Winning down there would just add momentum.”

Victory will be no small feat, as the Wildcats busted into the top 25 in RPI rankings for the first time this week.

Kansas State will be Iowa State’s fifth ranked opponent in 14 matches and ISU volleyball coach Christy Johnson-Lynch said that the schedule will not get any easier as the season progresses.

Johnson-Lynch added that, much like Texas, Kansas State is a big, physical team that can match the ISU athleticism, taking away some of the Cyclones’ advantage.

“Their block is the most challenging aspect of their game,” Johnson-Lynch said. “That is going to put a lot of pressure on our hitters to make good decisions and not let that block take over.”

The emergence of redshirt freshman Samara West as a primary contributor should help negate some of the Wildcats’ size at the net, as Johnson-Lynch continued to marvel at West’s improvement throughout the course of the season.

Johnson-Lynch said that even on nights like the one against West Virginia when West’s stats do not jump off the stat sheet, her six-foot-four-inch frame and athletic prowess guarantee her presence will be felt.

Junior Mackenzie Bigbee and senior Victoria Hurtt, the team’s two most decorated players, have struggled somewhat as of late due to injury, but came up big against West Virginia, tallying 29 kills between them.

“I sprained my ankle pretty bad in the spring,” Bigbee said. “I am working through it. It is not great but it is not terrible.”

Johnson-Lynch said it was a relief to see her team leaders falling into a mid-season groove against West Virginia and she hopes it is something that will continue throughout the season, starting with Kansas State.

“It was a good response for us after coming out 0-2 in the conference,” Johnson-Lynch said. “That can shake your confidence. I thought that was a really nice response and we have got to keep that going.”

Iowa State’s two matches against Kansas State last season were on completely opposite ends of the spectrum. The Cyclones won the first match with ease in Ames, defeating the Wildcats 3-0.

The Wildcats returned the favor in the last regular season contest of the year, sweeping the Cyclones off the floor also with a score of 3-0.

While the teams’ records appear to present an advantage to Kansas State in the upcoming match, Horner said that in conference play, previous matches and win-loss totals have little meaning.

“They are definitely a good team and I feel like we have a really solid conference this year,” Horner said. “It should be a good match, but [we are] planning on coming out with the win.”

First serve is set for 7:00 p.m. Oct. 8 at Ahearn Field House in Manhattan, Kansas.