Hurtt Leads Cyclones Over Sooners

Saturday, October 20

Ames, Iowa

6:30 PM

Iowa State

Oklahoma

10.20.2012 | Volleyball

By: cyclones.com

AMES, Iowa – Sophomore Victoria Hurtt collected 14 kills and hit a career-high .500 on the night as No. 22 Iowa State (11-7, 5-3 Big 12) beat Oklahoma (16-7, 5-3 Big 12) in straight sets on Saturday night at Hilton Coliseum 25-18, 25-18, 25-14).

The match was the strongest offensive showing for the Cyclones this season; the team hit .373, the highest team hitting mark since defeating Missouri at home last season.

“I thought we really just played a solid match offensively and defensively,” head Iowa State coach Christy Johnson-Lynch said. “We forced them out of system a lot with our serve. We were just really solid offensively and everyone had a really nice night. We stayed relaxed and composed and did what we needed to do. I like a lot of the things I'm seeing and I feel like we're in a really good groove.”

Seniors Rachel Hockaday (12 kills, 14 digs) and Alison Landwehr (42 assists, 10 digs) each posted double-doubles in the contest and freshman right side Mackenzie Bigbee added 10 kills on .533 hitting. Middle blocker Jamie Straube was the fourth member of the squad to contribute more than 10 points, with nine kills, one service ace and one solo block against the Sooners.

Iowa State's defense was solid in the match, out-digging Oklahoma, 51-34, led by Hockaday's 14 digs. Libero Kristen Hahn recorded 11 digs, ahead of Landwehr's 10.

Oklahoma had just seven kills in game one, scoring two points off solo blocks from Morgan Reynolds and Tara Dunn and picking up nine points off Iowa State errors. The Cyclones spread the ball around on offense, getting six kills from Victoria Hurtt and five each from Mackenzie Bigbee and Rachel Hockaday.

Hurtt continued her offensive barrage in game two, putting up five kills and headed to the locker room hitting .500 through the first two sets with a block assist. Iowa State exploded for .406 in taking the 2-0 match lead while the Sooners improved to .241 hitting after hitting just .107 in game one. Sallie McLaurin led the visitors with six kills at intermission, recording three kills in each of the first two sets.

It was Iowa State again in set three, jumping out to a 12-4 lead and never looked back, hitting .417 in the set over Oklahoma's .176.

Iowa State will play back-to-back home matches for the first time this month next Wednesday, Oct. 14, hosting No. 21 Kansas at 6:30 p.m. CST.