Iowa State Sweeps UC Irvine, 3-0

Friday, September 1

Irvine, Calif.

9:00 PM

Iowa State

UC Irvine

09.01.2006 | Volleyball

By: Iowa State University

IRVINE, Calif. - Iowa State out blocked UC Irvine, 13 to three, and got 10 kills each from Katie Jessen and Nicole Lorenzen to sweep UC Irvine, 3-0 (30-19, 30-25, 30-26), at the Irvine Nike Invitational on Friday night.

Erin Boeve had seven block assists and Jessica Klein chipped in a solo block and five block assists to lead the Cyclone defense. Katie Churm had 12 kills in the win.

The Cyclones (5-0), led by three kills from Lorenzen, took a 9-4 lead out of the gate in the first game, forcing the Anteaters to use their first timeout. Following the break, ISU extended their lead to 17-10 on a kill by Boeve before UC Irvine (0-4) closed the gap to four at 18-14. The Cyclones quickly ran off six straight and disposed of the Anteaters, 30-19.

Lorenzen paced the Cyclones, who hit .290, with six kills. Laura Cady had three first game service aces for ISU.

Iowa State took a 4-1 lead in the second game behind a pair of aces from Katie Churm and Alyssa Gintant. The Cyclones built there lead to 12-6 but UC Irvine was able to chip away and cut it to 24-23, forcing ISU to use a timeout. The Cyclones responded, scoring six of the next eight points and winning the game 30-25.

Jessen had three second game kills for the Cyclones, who went up 2-0, despite hitting -.028 in the game.

UC Irvine came out firing in the third game, jumping out to a 6-1 lead and forcing an early Iowa State timeout. The Cyclones battled back to knot the score at 10-10 on a kill by Jessen but UC Irvine scored the next three points to regain control. The team's traded points until a block by Klein and Kaylee Manns gave the Cyclones their first lead at 19-18. Iowa State never trailed again, taking the game 30-26.

The Cyclones will continue tournament play Saturday at 1 p.m. (CT) when they face Michigan.