Balanced Attack Pushes ISU Past Texas Tech, 3-0

Wednesday, October 24

Ames, Iowa

6:30 PM

Iowa State

Texas Tech

Balanced Attack Pushes ISU Past Texas Tech, 3-0

10.24.2007 | Volleyball

By: cyclones.com

AMES, Iowa ? Lauren Cummings had 15 kills and Erin Boeve added 12 to headline a balanced attack that helped lift Iowa State past Texas Tech, 3-0 (34-32, 30-15, 30-24), on Wednesday evening at Hilton Coliseum. The win was head coach Christy Johnson's 50^th at Iowa State.

Joining Boeve and Cummings in double-figures was Victoria Henson, who registered 11 kills, while Mary Bisenius chipped in eight in the win. Defensively, Ashley Mass paced the Cyclones (13-8, 7-4 Big 12), who out dug the Red Raiders (7-14, 1-11) 54 to 38, with 19 digs. Laura Cady had 10 digs and Kaylee Manns had seven. Manns added 46 assists in the match and set the Cyclones to a .339 hitting percentage.

“I think that having a balanced attack is a really good thing for us,” said Johnson. “You always need a couple of players to step up and tonight we had that. I thought that Victoria (Henson) had a great night for us and we'll need that from her in the second half of the Big 12 season.”

Tech was paced by 14 kills from Amy Gandy and 11 from Brandi Hood.

The Cyclones struggled in the first game as Texas Tech held a 27-25 lead following a Alicia Ostmeyer kill. Iowa State, which was out hit .304 to .286 in the first frame, scrapped back, tying it at 29 after a Jen Malcom attack found the floor. The teams battled back-and-forth with the Cyclones finally taking the 34-32 win on a kill by Henson and a ball handling error on the Red Raiders' Michelle Flores.

The Cyclones dominated game two, taking a 6-0 lead behind the strong serving of Mass and never trailing en route to a 30-15 win. Iowa State hit .419 in the game and stepped up its defense, limiting the Red Raiders to a -.034 percentage.

Iowa State then hit .333 to cruise to a 30-24 game three win and the sweep.

The Cyclones head to Manhattan, Kan., on Saturday for a key Big 12 matchup against No. 15 Kansas State (16-6, 8-4), which Iowa State trails by just a half game in the conference standings. First serve is slated for 7 p.m., with live stats available at Cyclones.com.