Iowa State Volleyball Claims Heritage Classic Title With Win vs. Drake

Saturday, September 1

Ames, Iowa

TBA

Iowa State

Drake

Iowa State Volleyball Claims Heritage Classic Title With Win vs. Drake

09.01.2001 | Volleyball

By: Iowa State University

AMES, Iowa - The Iowa State volleyball team secured the Heritage Classic Tournament title with a four-set victory vs. intrastate rival Drake, Saturday night in Hilton Coliseum. Three Cyclones, Mandi Harms, Steph Suntken and Brittany Dalager tallied double digit kill totals to help ISU improve to 2-0 on the year. Drake (1-1) was led by tournament MVP Lacey Cocorcan, who finished with 10 kills and 10 digs on the night. Cyclones Suntken, Harms and Sara Stribe were named to the all-tournament team, as was Drake's Kelly Campbell.

Iowa State was led offensively by a balanced attack from Harms (17 kills), Suntken (15 kills) and Dalager (10 kills) through out the match. Harms, a junior from Shenandoah, led the Cyclone charge in the opening stanza, collecting seven kills and hitting an impressive .583 from the floor. Stribe, who finished the night with 47 assists, dug seven balls to help ISU take game one, 30-25.

The Cyclones kept the momentum going as they jumped out to an early lead in the second stanza and held on the take an 2-0 advantage with a 30-15 win. ISU utilized its balanced offense in the second set as six players notched a kill. Suntken drilled three kills on just four attacks and added two digs and two block assists.

The Bulldogs came out ready to play after the break and pushed the match to a fourth game. Drew Meyermann and Evin Shutt combined for six kills and six digs to pace Drake to a 30-24 third-set win.

Sophomore outside hitter Renae Pruess got ISU rolling again in the fourth set, as she compiled four kills, three digs, a ace and one block assists. Pruess finished the match with eight kills and tied a career-high with 13 digs. Led by Pruess ISU took the fourth set (30-19) and the match. It is the first time that Iowa State has started 2-0, since the 1997 squad opened the year with eight-straight wins.

Iowa State continues tournament play next weekend in Green Bay, Wisc. ISU will face Sam Houston State on Friday, Sept. 7 at 5 p.m. and then met up with Wisconsin-Green Bay at noon on Saturday. They finish the tournament Saturday night at 5:30 p.m. with a match vs. Morehead State.