Iowa State’s young guns have dominated the spotlight early in the 2014 season, but they took a backseat in what was a bit of a throwback game for the ISU volleyball team Oct. 4. versus West Virginia.

Senior Victoria Hurtt and junior Mackenzie Bigbee, each previous All-American honorable mention selections, have struggled to adjust to a new crop of players and have also each dealt with nagging injuries in recent weeks.

Against West Virginia, when the team needed it most, its two most experienced players rose to the challenge.

Hurtt and Bigbee combined for 29 kills on the day and co-led an ISU charge that saw the Cyclones erase a 1-0 deficit and claim their first win of conference play on the strength of three set victories in a row.

The hitting was the most important column on the stat sheet, as sophomore Ciara Capezio appeared in only three of four sets-likely due to a lingering problem with her foot-and had zero kills through the first two stanzas.

Capezio, who has been arguably the team’s best offensive player this season, came on in the final two sets to total 6 kills on the match. Still, that mark is well below what Iowa State has come to rely on from the young hitter, which made the contributions of Bigbee and Hurtt all the more vital.

Freshman Alexis Conaway has been consistent all season long and made her imprint on the match, posting 12 kills and a career-high .526 hitting percentage.

Junior libero Caitlin Nolan added 25 digs, accounting for more than 37 percent of the total team production in the crucial defensive category.

The Cyclones now prepare to head back on the road to take on the up-and-coming Kansas State Wildcats in Manhattan, Kan.

First serve is set for 7:00 p.m.