Cyclones Fall To Badgers, 3-0

MADISON, Wis. ? Wisconsin hit .259 and got 14 kills from Audra Jeffers to defeat Iowa State, 3-0 (30-20, 30-25, 30-27), Saturday night in the second round of the 2006 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championships in Madison, Wis.

With the win, Wisconsin (26-6) advances to the Austin Regional to face Texas. The loss ends Iowa State's (21-11) most successful season in over a decade.

“I thought we lost to a very good team tonight,” said ISU head coach Christy Johnson. “Wisconsin is very deserving of their No. 10 ranking. They are a physical team and I thought they served very tough.”

The Cyclones were able to hold Wisconsin freshman and all-Big 10 selection Brittany Dolgner to just 10 kills on a .133 hitting percentage, but Jeffers and Taylor Reineke (10 kills) were too much in the middle.

“We focused on taking away their outside hitters, but unfortunately they have some other very good hitters as well,” said Johnson.

The Cyclones got 11 kills from senior Katie Jessen and junior Erin Boeve, but hit just .187 as a team. Seniors Katie Churm (10 digs), Jessica Klein (eight kills, nine block assists) and Nicole Lorenzen (four kills, seven digs) capped their outstanding careers with a solid matches.

Freshman Kaylee Manns had 34 assists and 13 digs and Laura Cady added 11 digs in the match.

In the first game, Wisconsin used a 6-2 run to push its lead to 22-16 after the Cyclones had closed to within two at 16-14. The Cyclones were never able to make it any closer, with the Badgers taking the first game, 30-20.

The Cyclones out blocked the Badgers, four to three, but were out hit .289 to .114. Offensively, ISU was led by four kills from Katie Jessen.

The Cyclones played better in the second game but were unable to mount an extended rally as Wisconsin held them off, 30-25. The Badgers took a big lead out of the gate in game two, charging to a 13-7 lead before the Cyclones closed the gap to three at 21-18. The teams traded points, with Wisconsin holding on to go up 2-0 in the match.

A kill by Lauren Cummings gave ISU an early 6-4 lead in the third game, but Wisconsin scored six of the next seven points to go up 10-7. The Cyclones kept battling, getting within two at 26-24 and then fighting off three game points before eventually falling to the Badgers, 30-27.

“Overall I am very happy with our season,” said Johnson. “I'm happy we were able to take our program to this level. Two years ago I don't think any of us would have dreamed we'd be sitting here, having advanced a round in the tournament.”

Players Mentioned

Erin Boeve

Erin Boeve

Laura Cady

Laura Cady

Katie Churm

Katie Churm

Lauren Cummings

Katie Jessen

Katie Jessen

Jessica Klein

Jessica Klein

Nicole Lorenzen

Nicole Lorenzen

Kaylee Manns

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