Upcoming Event: Volleyball at Texas Tech on September 25, 2026
Volleyball
Texas Tech
Iowa State University Athletics
Cyclones Go To Texas For Showdown With Longhorns
10.15.2012 | Volleyball
AMES, Iowa – No. 22 Iowa State (10-6, 4-2 Big 12) will play its eighth match against a ranked opponent, and second against a top-10 foe, on Wednesday night as the Cyclones travel to Austin, Texas to face No. 8 Texas (15-3, 7-0 Big 12).
Wednesday is the 34th meeting between the programs and Iowa State's last win against the Longhorns was in Ames in 2009 when Texas entered Hilton Coliseum as the No. 2 team in the country. Two of the leaders in the five-set win over the Longhorns will be back on the court on Wednesday for Iowa State. Rachel Hockaday, who had 13 kills and 25 digs against Texas in 2009, and Jamie Straube, who added 12 kills, two solo blocks and two block assists, will have one more shot to down the Longhorns in Austin before graduating at the end of the season.
All three of Iowa State's wins against Texas have come during the 2000s but only the 2009 win in Ames happened during the Christy Johnson-Lynch era and the eighth year head coach is looking for win number two and the chance to knock off Texas on the road, a feat accomplished only by Minnesota and Illinois this season. Texas has yet to drop a set in league play, sweeping both No. 14 Kansas State and No. 21 Kansas in its last two conference matches.
After a bye weekend, Iowa State outside hitter Victoria Hurtt will lead the Cyclone back onto the court as the squad looks for its third-straight win and its fourth win over a ranked opponent. Hurtt ranks in the top-10 in hitting percentage (.277), kills per set (3. 23) and points per set (3.48) during league play this season. Libero Kristen Hahn continues to lead the conference with 5.02 digs per set in Big 12 play.
The Longhorn offense is powered by Haley Eckerman and Webster Bailey who are averaging 4.81 and 3.95 kills per set in Big 12 play this season while hitting over .300. Texas hits .302 as a team while shutting down opposing teams for a .099 mark.
Net defense makes Texas one of the strongest teams in the country in 2012; the Longhorns out-block league opponents, 3.38-1.40 and have three players averaging more than 1.00 blocks per set. Khat Bell paces Texas with 1.90 blocks per set, followed by Sha'Dare McNeal (1.24) and Molly McCage (1.11).
Wednesday's match will be aired on Fox Sports and first serve is set for 7:06 p.m. CST.
Cyclone Notebook
• After their weekend bye, the Cyclones fly south to No. 8 Texas for a 7 p.m. CST Wednesday match on Fox Sports.
• Last week, Iowa State swept Big 12 newbie West Virginia, not allowing the Mountaineers to score more than 14 points in any one set.
• Victoria Hurtt led Iowa State with eight kills against West Virginia, in the first match of the season in which no Cyclone has recorded 10 kills.
• The Mountaineers' .010 hitting percentage against Iowa State is the lowest opponent percentage since Iowa failed to record a hitting percentage at Hilton last season.
• Iowa State is 8-2 this season when winning the first set.
• Libero Kristen Hahn crossed the 1,000 dig mark against West Virginia and enters Wednesday's match with the Longhorns with 1,006 career digs.
• Freshman Jenelle Hudson posted a career-high five assists against West Virginia. Hudson, a setter in high school, has played most of her time with the Cyclones as a defensive specialist, behind starting setting Alison Landwehr.
• Sophomore Taylor Goetz recorded the first ace of her career against West Virginia.
• Hahn (0.41) and Hudson (0.36) are ranked fifth and sixth, respectively, in league play in aces per set.
• Hurtt ranks in the top-10 in kills and points during league play. The sophomore is fifth with 3.23 kills per set and sixth with 3.58 points per set.
• Middle blocker Tenisha Matlock is tied in seventh in the league, hitting .283 in Big 12 play. Hurtt is ninth with a .277 average.
• Hurtt is the only Cyclone to rank in the top-10 in hitting percentage, kills and points per set during conference play this season. The Kansas City, Mo. native is ninth in points per set with a team-high 3.48 mark.
• The Cyclones remain the only team digging better than 17.00 balls per set, averaging 17.55 digs per set in Big 12 matches.
Streaks and Trends
• Iowa State opponents have hit over .300 just 17 times in 239 matches under Johnson-Lynch.
• Iowa State went 14-3 in three set matches in 2011 and is 4-2 in 2012. Under Johnson-Lynch, Iowa State is 93-32 in three set matches.
• Behind Johnson-Lynch's leadership, the Cyclones win 88% (129-18) of their matches when earning the first set victory.
• Iowa State has collected 20 wins in five-consecutive seasons under head coach Johnson-Lynch. The Cyclones have had 11 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 eight seasons and have defeated at least two top 25 teams in each of the last six seasons.
Scouting No. 8 Texas
• Texas leads the all-time series, 31-3. Iowa State's last win over the Longhorns was in 2009, when Texas was ranked second in the country.
• Texas is 15-3 this season with losses to No. 4 Penn State, No. 14 Minnesota and No. 23 Illinois.
• The Longhorns have not dropped a set in starting the Big 12 season, 7-0. Their last two conference matches were sweeps of No. 14 Kansas State and No. 21 Kansas.
• Sophomore standout Haley Eckerman is punishing league opponents for .338 hitting and 4.81 kills per set, second in the Big 12.
• Bailey Webster is close behind Eckerman, hitting .339 with 3.95 kills per set.
• As a team, Texas is hitting .302 in conference play while holding teams to .099 hitting.
• Not surprisingly, the Longhorns are tops in the Big 12 in hitting and opponent hitting, as well as blocks per set (3.38).
• The net defense is led by three players with more than 1.00 blocks per set: Khat Bell (1.90), Sha'Dare McNeal (1.24) and Molly McCage (1.11).
• Texas spreads the ball around on back row defense with libero Sara Palmer pacing the squad with an average of 3.70 digs per set.
• McNeal (2.48), Eckerman (2.43) and setter Hannah Allison (2.29) all average more than 2.00 digs per set.
Players Mentioned
S/DS
/ VolleyballS/DS
/ Volleyball
DS/L
/ VolleyballDS/L
/ Volleyball
OH
/ VolleyballOH
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
OH
/ VolleyballOH
/ Volleyball
S
/ VolleyballS
/ Volleyball
MB
/ VolleyballMB/RS
/ Volleyball
MB
/ VolleyballMB
/ VolleyballVB Replay KU at ISU 2025
Monday, December 01
VB Replay KSU at ISU 2025
Sunday, November 30
Christy Johnson-Lynch and Players Selection Sunday
Sunday, November 30
VB Highlights vs. Kansas State
Saturday, November 29
