Completed Event: Volleyball versus #6 Arizona State on October 31, 2025 , Win , 3, to, 2
Final
Volleyball
3
#6 Arizona State
2
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Iowa State University Athletics
Aggies Will Be Tough Road Test For Cyclones
10.20.2011 | Volleyball
AMES, Iowa - No. 15 Iowa State (15-3, 6-1 Big 12) heads to College Station, Texas this weekend to face the red hot Texas A&M Aggies (16-4, 5-2) on Saturday night. The Aggies are 7-0 at home this season and are on a three-match win streak entering the weekend.
After downing Kansas, No. 22 Oklahoma and Kansas in its last three matches, Texas A&M has lost once, to No. 10 Texas, in its last six contests. Against Iowa State, Texas A&M will be leaning on home court advantage and the momentum of the last two weeks to get the win.
By comparison, the Cyclones are coming off their second bye in two weeks, last defeating Baylor in straight-sets on Oct. 15 at Hilton Coliseum. Tied with Texas for the top spot in the Big 12, Iowa State will continue its quest for the program's first-ever conference title with a win on Saturday.
Iowa State's defense has been key this season as the Cyclones are averaging 2.44 blocks per set and leading the Big 12 with 17.79 digs per set in conference play. Not known for their blocking, the Cyclones have the 2.44-1.79 blocking edge in conference play this season behind sophomore middle blocker Tenisha Matlock who ranks fourth with an average of 1.25 blocks per set.
This week, Matlock became the first non-libero at Iowa State to earn Big 12 defensive honors since Kaylee Manns in 2009. The North Platte, Neb. native collected a career-high eight block assists against the Bears and added a team-high eight kills. It was the second-straight weekly defensive award for Iowa State after Kristen Hahn was named the top defensive player last week.
The Cyclone offense will have its chance to shine this weekend as well. Texas A&M ranks last in the conference with 1.95 blocks per set against Big 12 teams while Iowa State is tops at getting past the block with league opponents grabbing only 1.79 blocks per set against the squad this season.
Saturday's match is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CDT.
Cyclone Notebook
- Iowa State improved to 15-3 this season and 6-1 in the Big 12 with a sweep of Baylor on Saturday. It was the ninth sweep by the Cyclones this season.
- The 2011 Cyclones are the first in program history to start the conference season 6-1.
- The Cyclones' 13 blocks against Baylor on Saturday is are the most by the team since collecting 16 in their five-set win at Nebraska in 2009.
- With 10 blocks more than the Sooners (13-3), the match marked the largest blocking edge for Iowa State since at Kansas in 2009 (13-2).
- Saturday marked the first time this season that not one Iowa State player has posted 10 kills.
- Baylor is the third team this season to out-dig Iowa State (65-60).
- All available players played in Saturday's match.
- 10 Cyclones had at least one kill in the win over Baylor including Debbie Stadick (2), Hannah Johnson and Taylor Knuth.
- Tenisha Matlock grabbed a career-high eight block assists against Baylor and added a team-high eight kills. The sophomore is averaging 1.25 blocks against Big 12 opponents, tied for fourth in the league.
- Carly Jenson and Hannah Willms also had eight kills against the Bears.
- Matlock's .444 hitting clip is her career-best against a conference foe when getting at least 15 swings. The sophomore hit 8-0-18 on Saturday.
- Jenson scored a career-best three aces over the weekend.
- Baylor managed only .023 hitting on Saturday, the second-lowest hitting by an Iowa State foe this season, lowering opponent hitting to .140 against the Cyclones in Big 12 play, the lowest in the league.
- For the season, Iowa State is out-hitting Big 12 opponents .264-.140.
- During Big 12 play, the Cyclone offense is the best at getting past blockers, allowing a conference-low 1.79 blocks per set.
- The team is also out-blocking league opponents 2.44-1.79 per set. No surprise, Iowa State holds a 17.48-16.04 dig edge over the six Big 12 teams it has played.
- Iowa State ranks first in the league this season with an average of 17.59 digs per set and is atop the league during Big 12 play with an average of 17.79.
- The Cyclones are second this season among league teams in opponent hitting (.154), assists (12.78) and kills (13.77).
- Jamie Straube (.379) and Matlock (.357) are ranked third and fifth, respectively, in hitting against Big 12 teams.
- Jenson's three aces last weekend move her into first in the Big 12 with 0.38 aces per set against league foes.
- Caitlin Mahoney is the only Big 12 player with five aces in a match (Cincinnati).
- Nationally, the Cyclones rank 18th in digs (17.59) and 29th in hitting (.253). The team comes in 41st in kills (13.77) and 44th assists (12.78) per set.
- Landwehr, with her average of 11.06 assists per set, ranks 27th on the national scale.
- Kristen Hahn ranks ninth in the nation with 5.64 digs per set this season, a league-best average.
Streaks and Trends
- Iowa State opponents have hit over .300 just 15 times in 209 matches (7%) under Christy Johnson-Lynch.
- Iowa State went 12-1 in three set matches in 2010. Under Johnson-Lynch, Iowa State is 84-31 in three-set matches.
- This year the Cyclones are 9-2 in three-set matches, losing at No. 15 UNI and No. 10 Nebraska
- In true Johnson-Lynch fashion, Iowa State has out-dug 14 of its opponents (NDSU twice) this season.
- Behind Johnson-Lynch's leadership, the Cyclones win 88% (114-15) of their matches when earning the first set victory.
- Iowa State has collected 20 wins for four-consecutive years under head coach Johnson-Lynch. The Cyclones have had 10 20+ win seasons since 1982.
- Under Johnson-Lynch, the Cyclones have won at least one match over a top 25 opponent in each of her seven seasons.
- This season, six players have led the Cyclones in kills during a match. Only three players ever led the team in kills in 2010.
Scouting Texas A&M
- The Aggies have won 24 of 34 all-time matches between the programs but Iowa State enters Saturday's match having won the last four and eight of the last 10.
- The Cyclones swept the season series with Texas A&M last season, winning both matches in four sets. Iowa State lost the second set in both matches.
- Texas A&M is receiving votes in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association poll.
- A&M is 16-4 this season and 5-2 in Big 12 play with losses to Missouri and Texas. The Aggies have not lost a conference match at home, going 7-0 heading into Saturday night's match.
- All six starters plus the libero from last season's 13-17, 7-13 team return this season for the Aggies.
- TAMU leads the Big 12 this season with an average of 12.83 assists per set, just in front of Iowa State who is averaging 12.78 assists per set.
- The Aggies also hold the season edge in kills over Iowa State, leading the conference with 13.84 kills per set. The Cyclones are second with an average of 13.77.
- Blocking is not a strength for either team this year, Iowa State ranking eighth or the Aggies coming in last in the league with 1.87 blocks per set. Iowa State improves to 2.44 blocks per set in conference play though while TAMU remains at the bottom of the rankings with an average of 1.95.
- Texas A&M's struggles at the net will be an advantage for the Cyclones who are already holding conference opponents to a league-low 1.79 blocks per set this season.
- The Aggies will try to limit Iowa State's passing game on Saturday. A&M is allowing only 14.47 digs per set from its league foes this season, second in the Big 12 behind Texas.
- In conference play, Aggie Lindsey Miller ranks ninth with 3.23 kills per set. Miller also leads the team with a .371 hitting percentage, ranked fourth in the conference during league play.
- Miller, a middle blocker, is sixth in league play with 1.17 blocks per set and leads the Aggies with an overall average of 1.04 blocks per set.
- Texas A&M libero Megan Pendergast is averaging 3.87 digs per set this season as a junior transfer from Nebraska (Her second season with A&M) and ranks eighth at the position against Big 12 foes.
- Last season in College Station, Kelsey Petersen had a (then) career-high 14 kills while hitting .448 (14-1-29). Carly Jenson added 11 kills.
- The Aggies earned the 73-69 dig edge in College Station last season.
- Black led A&M with 14 kills and 23 digs in that match but hit only .067 with 11 attack errors.
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