Iowa State Takes Down Texas Tech, 3-1

LUBBOCK, Texas – Iowa State ended its first losing streak of 2015 with a 3-1 (26-24, 26-24, 22-25, 25-20) win over Texas Tech Saturday afternoon at United Supermarkets Arena. The win improved ISU to 17-9 overall and 10-5 in Big 12 play. TTU is now 14-15 in 2015, 3-12 in Big 12 action.

Jess Schaben led Iowa State with 18 kills, while Ciara Capezio had a double-double of 13 kills at a .444 hitting percentage and 12 digs. Morgan Kuhrt also posted a double-double with 11 kills and 10 digs. Caitlin Nolan had 26 digs.

ISU Staves Off Two Set Points to Take First Set
It took a while for the Iowa State offense to get going, as the Cyclones' reverted back to their 6-2 offense for the match. A scrappy first set finally started to go the way of the visitors when Ciara Capezio tipped over the block to give the Cyclones their first lead at 9-8. The Red Raiders, on Senior Day at United Supermarkets Arena, were a tough out for the ISU offense, being able to find a variety of attackers to keep the Cyclone block off balance.

The set stayed in the balance throughout the duration, which featured 15 ties and five lead changes, until TTU finally getting a two-point lead again at 23-21 when Lauren Douglass stuffed Alexis Conaway. Tech brought up set point at 24-22 on a Jenna Allen kill, but ISU fought off the first via a Morgan Kuhrt kill and tied it again at 24-24 when Alexis Conaway tipped over for a kill. A ball-handling error on Allen brought up ISU's first set point, which the Cyclones immediately converted on a Natalie Vondrak kill to take the first 26-24.

Cyclones Fight Off Another Set Point to Go Up 2-0
Iowa State was good out of the gate in the second, racking up the first four points, capped by a Monique Harris ace. The lead lasted four points as TTU bounced back with the next four points to tie it up. Tech was able to get in control from there, running off three of the next four points to get ahead 8-6. Christy Johnson-Lynch called a timeout, and it was just what the doctor ordered, as ISU ran off the next three points to get ahead again at 9-8.

The teams continued to trade runs, with ISU the beneficiary of being the team making the runs to get ahead, not making the runs to get back into the set. When Tech tied the set at 12-12, the frame once again reverted to one with many ties and lead changes, 16 ties and eight lead changes in this frame. TTU was able to get ahead from behind the service line as Katelyn Bryant got an ace to make it a 21-19 Tech advantage. Tech brought up the first set point at 24-23, but ISU fought it off via a Samara West kill. ISU got its set point from Schaben's 11th kill, and Iowa State got the set when Brianna Grant's shot went into the net at 26-24 ISU.

Texas Tech Bounces Back to Force Fourth Set
ISU was slow out of the locker room, as the Red Raiders scored six of the first seven points in the set to get ahead 6-1. A Cyclone timeout did little to slow the TTU momentum, as Tech got a six-point advantage at 8-2 when West's shot was fired wide. The Cyclones cut the lead to three at 9-6 on a Capezio kill, and then reduced the TTU advantage to two at 11-9 on a Grant attack error. Tech was able to stop the ISU momentum by taking four of the next five points to get ahead 15-10 and force ISU into its final timeout.

ISU got back into the set via the play of Capezio. The junior posted six of her first eight attacks for kills as she helped bring Iowa State back into the set. A pair of Kuhrt aces tied the frame back at 17-17. The Red Raiders did not let ISU back into the match easily, taking back a two-point advantage at 20-18. The lead did not last long as ISU tied it again at 21-21 on a block from Tory Knuth and Schaben. Once again, however, the Red Raiders were able to get ahead by two at 23-21. Tech brought up set point at 24-22, and converted it on the first try via an Allen kill for force a fourth set at 25-22.

Kuhrt's Serving, Offense Brings ISU Win
The Cyclones were hindered by another slow start in the fourth set, as the Red Raiders pulled ahead 6-3 to force another early ISU timeout. The serving for Kuhrt got ISU back into the frame as her second back-to-back ace run of the match tied the set 6-6. The set played out to another back-and-forth affair, as ties and leads were exchanged frequently.

The Cyclones finally got some breathing room around the halfway point, taking advantage of a pair of TTU errors to build up a 17-13 lead. The Red Raiders had one final stand in them, reducing the ISU advantage to 22-20. However, ISU had enough firepower to finish it. A Kuhrt kill and Horner ace brought up match point at 24-20, which Kuhrt finished off with her 11th kill to make it 25-20.

Cyclone Notes
*Iowa State won its 19th-straight match against Texas Tech, having not lost to the Red Raiders since 2006.
*Morgan Kuhrt recorded a career-high four aces. Her previous best was three at TCU in 2013.
*Kuhrt finished with 11 kills, her second double-double of the season and sixth of her career.
*Caitlin Nolan posted 26 digs, her 13th match of 2015 with at least 20 digs and 28th of her career.
*Nolan now has 543 digs on the season, the ninth-highest single-season total in ISU history.
*Ciara Capezio recorded 13 kills and 12 digs, her seventh double-double of the season and 22nd of her career.
*Jess Schaben led Iowa State with 18 kills, her 17th match of 2015 with at least 10 kills.
*Schaben now has 291 kills in her freshman season, the third-highest total by an ISU freshman in program history.

Up Next
Iowa State finishes up its Big 12 schedule Tuesday at home against Baylor. First serve will be at 6:30 p.m. with the match on Cyclones.TV Powered by Mediacom. Fans are encouraged to stay in their seats after the match as ISU will honor its senior class of Mackenzie Bigbee, Tory Knuth and Caitlin Nolan.

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Team Stats

Jess Schaben

Ciara Capezio

Morgan Kuhrt

Samara West

Players Mentioned

Mackenzie Bigbee

Ciara Capezio

Alexis Conaway

Monique Harris

Tory Knuth

Morgan Kuhrt

Caitlin Nolan

Jess Schaben

Natalie Vondrak

Samara West

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics