Completed Event: Volleyball at UNI on September 9, 2025 , Loss , 1, to, 3
Final
Volleyball
1
UNI
3
Iowa State University Athletics
Saturday, September 6
Ames, Iowa
11 a.m.
Iowa State University
3
vs
0
Western Illinois
ISU Sweeps Western Illinois, Falls to Kentucky at Cyclone Challenge
09.06.2003 | Volleyball
AMES, Iowa - The Iowa State volleyball team swept Western Illinois in its first match today, but fell to Kentucky in three games in the later game on the second day of the 2003 Cyclone Challenge Saturday afternoon at Hilton Coliseum. Senior Renae Pruess led the way for Iowa State with 21 total kills and 13 digs. Senior Lindsey Chapman tallied 57 total assists and 11 digs. Iowa State is now 5-1 on the young season, its best start since the 1997 season. With wins over the Cyclones, Western Illinois and Iowa, Kentucky claimed the Cyclone Challenge tournament trophy.
Western Illinois was led by Kali Landis, who had 12 kills and 12 digs, while Kentucky was paced by Sarah Spinner with 19 kills. ISU's Dana Koziol and Pruess were named to the all-tournament team. They were joined on the team by Landis (Western Illinois), Laura Simpson (Iowa), Sissy Canfield (Kentucky) and Spinner (Kentucky). Kentucky's Leigh Marcum was named the tournament MVP.
In the first match against Western Illinois, Iowa State was hitting on all cylinders. ISU hit a sizzling .346 from the floor and had three players in double-figure kill totals to claim the 3-0 win. In game one, Pruess had seven kills while freshman Katie Jessen added five as Iowa State hit .279 from the floor compared to Western Illinois' .128 to win game one, 30-25. In the second game, ISU hit a season-high .529 from the floor and had 18 kills to the Westerwinds' 14 kills. Jessen added another six kills, while sophomore Ashlie McWee added four kills as Iowa State cruised in game two, 30-16. The .529 hitting percentage ranks second on ISU's all-time team match records. The play was a little more even in game three as the Cyclones hit .280 from the floor compared to Western Illinois' .184. However, ISU outkilled the Westerwinds, 21-11, and out dug them 21-15. McWee led the way with seven kills as the Cyclones squeezed by Western Illinois, 31-29, and won the match, 3-0.
"I thought we played very aggresively against Western Illinois," head coach Linda Crum said. "We really showed our character in this match, especially in game three where we had to come from behind to win. I thought we really played a solid match."
In Iowa State's later match against Kentucky, the Wildcats managed to claim big leads in two of the three games and out hit the Cyclones, .392 to .113, to win the match, 3-0. UK had 60 kills to ISU's 35 and held ISU to 38 digs, while managing 56 itself. Pruess led the way against the Wildcats with 10 kills and six digs. Sophomore Katie Kruenegel had nine kills and two block assists, while Brittany Dalager added seven kills and 10 digs in the Cyclone effort.
"I was very disappointed with how we played against Kentucky," Crum said. "In terms of our defense, work ethic and ability to control the ball, I thought we got outplayed in those areas. We had a rough start and I was disappointed that we didn't seem to show any fight. Overall, some very good things happened this weekend. Our serving was good and our middle blockers had a very solid tournament. The win over Iowa was certainly a highlight."
Iowa State will take to the road for the first time this season as they head to Cedar Falls to play No. 6 Northern Iowa on Tuesday, Sept. 9. The match, which will be played in West Gym, starts at 7 p.m.
2003 Cyclone Challenge All-Tournament Team
Kali Landis, Western Illinois
Laura Simpson, Iowa
Dana Koziol, Iowa State
Renae Pruess, Iowa State
Sissy Canfield, Kentucky
Sarah Spinner, Kentucky
Tournament MVP - Leigh Marcum, Kentucky
Western Illinois was led by Kali Landis, who had 12 kills and 12 digs, while Kentucky was paced by Sarah Spinner with 19 kills. ISU's Dana Koziol and Pruess were named to the all-tournament team. They were joined on the team by Landis (Western Illinois), Laura Simpson (Iowa), Sissy Canfield (Kentucky) and Spinner (Kentucky). Kentucky's Leigh Marcum was named the tournament MVP.
In the first match against Western Illinois, Iowa State was hitting on all cylinders. ISU hit a sizzling .346 from the floor and had three players in double-figure kill totals to claim the 3-0 win. In game one, Pruess had seven kills while freshman Katie Jessen added five as Iowa State hit .279 from the floor compared to Western Illinois' .128 to win game one, 30-25. In the second game, ISU hit a season-high .529 from the floor and had 18 kills to the Westerwinds' 14 kills. Jessen added another six kills, while sophomore Ashlie McWee added four kills as Iowa State cruised in game two, 30-16. The .529 hitting percentage ranks second on ISU's all-time team match records. The play was a little more even in game three as the Cyclones hit .280 from the floor compared to Western Illinois' .184. However, ISU outkilled the Westerwinds, 21-11, and out dug them 21-15. McWee led the way with seven kills as the Cyclones squeezed by Western Illinois, 31-29, and won the match, 3-0.
"I thought we played very aggresively against Western Illinois," head coach Linda Crum said. "We really showed our character in this match, especially in game three where we had to come from behind to win. I thought we really played a solid match."
In Iowa State's later match against Kentucky, the Wildcats managed to claim big leads in two of the three games and out hit the Cyclones, .392 to .113, to win the match, 3-0. UK had 60 kills to ISU's 35 and held ISU to 38 digs, while managing 56 itself. Pruess led the way against the Wildcats with 10 kills and six digs. Sophomore Katie Kruenegel had nine kills and two block assists, while Brittany Dalager added seven kills and 10 digs in the Cyclone effort.
"I was very disappointed with how we played against Kentucky," Crum said. "In terms of our defense, work ethic and ability to control the ball, I thought we got outplayed in those areas. We had a rough start and I was disappointed that we didn't seem to show any fight. Overall, some very good things happened this weekend. Our serving was good and our middle blockers had a very solid tournament. The win over Iowa was certainly a highlight."
Iowa State will take to the road for the first time this season as they head to Cedar Falls to play No. 6 Northern Iowa on Tuesday, Sept. 9. The match, which will be played in West Gym, starts at 7 p.m.
2003 Cyclone Challenge All-Tournament Team
Kali Landis, Western Illinois
Laura Simpson, Iowa
Dana Koziol, Iowa State
Renae Pruess, Iowa State
Sissy Canfield, Kentucky
Sarah Spinner, Kentucky
Tournament MVP - Leigh Marcum, Kentucky
Players Mentioned
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