ISU Comeback Falls Short at No. 4 Texas

AUSTIN, Texas – Iowa State battled back from 2-0 down against No. 4 Texas, but was unable to complete the comeback as the Longhorns took the match 3-2 (25-21, 27-25, 22-25, 21-25, 15-10) Saturday night at Gregory Gymnasium. The loss drops ISU to 8-8 on the season and 1-4 in Big 12 play. Texas is now 13-2 on the year and still lead the Big 12 at 5-0.

Falling behind early, Iowa State switched to a 6-2 offense that allowed ISU to match-up at the net with the Longhorns. ISU was led by 15 kills from Jess Schaben, while Alexis Conaway had 12 with a .455 hitting percentage. Hali Hillegas led ISU''s back row with 18 digs.

Dominant Offense Gives Texas First Set
The visiting Cyclones were stronger out of the gate, with strong serving and passing allowing ISU to build an early 5-2 edge. The lead was short lived, as Texas went on a 7-0 run powered by four kills from Paulina Prieto Cerame to move ahead 12-7. Iowa State was able to settle down after ending the run, moving to a 6-2 offense and taking care of business on its own side of the net to cut the Horns' advantage to two at 23-21. However, the Cyclones were unable to find the answer to slowing the Texas offense, which hit .571 in the first. Texas wrapped up the first the first asking via a Chloe Collins ace to make it 25-21.

ISU Can't Hang On To Lead as UT Moves Ahead 2-0
The start of the second started just as the first had ended, with both teams struggling to stop each other's offenses. However, Texas' issues were compounded behind the service line, as a quartet of service errors allowed ISU some of the lead early on. The Cyclones finally got Jess Schaben going as she rattled off a trio of consecutive kills to move ISU ahead 15-11. Though UT brought it back to 15-15, but ISU ran off three in a row to push the lead to 18-15. However, the ISU offense faltered and allowed UT back ahead 20-19 after consecutive errors by Grace Lazard. ISU fought of a trio of set points to make it 25-25, but Texas eventually got the set when Collins tipped to the deep corner to take the second 27-25.

Capezio's Serving Takes ISU to Third Set
Iowa State was able to get off to another good start, as the Cyclones enjoyed the early lead again. This time, ISU was its own worst enemy as the Cyclones committed five-straight unforced errors to allow Texas to move ahead 10-6. Iowa State was able to close the deficit down to one point multiple times and finally tied it back up at 18-18 when Grace Lazard put down a UT overpass. ISU had it tied again at 19-19, 20-20, 21-21 and 22-22 before moving back ahead 23-22 on Ciara Capezio's second ace of the set. UT fired a shot wide at 24-22 to bring up set point, which Capezio locked up with her third ace of the set at 25-22.

ISU Steps Up Defense to Force Fifth Set
The Cyclones made it four sets in-a-row with good starts, as they were able to take advantage of some Texas errors to get the lead. Service errors hampered both sides again as each team had a few early ones that prevented opening leads. Both teams worked hard for their points, as UT's efforts at the net, and Iowa State's in the back court led to more long rallies. The scrappy play continued throughout, as each error became magnified as the set went along. After a few ties, Iowa State was able to scrap ahead as Conaway and Kuhrt teamed up to deny Micaya White to make it 20-19. The lead became 23-20 on a Suzanne Horner ace, 24-21 on a Samara West kill and the fifth set was forced when Cerame fired a shot wide at 25-21.

Attack Errors Cost ISU in Fifth
ISU was in control early, with a Lazard ace helping key the effort. However, Texas was clean in its serving game, and the Cyclones made a trio of attack errors to get UT ahead 7-5. The home side was able to find back some of that dominant offense that guided them in the first set, with Cerame once again the architect as her back-to-back kills gave UT a three-point lead at 9-6. UT's block stepped up again to deny Capezio and give the Horns a four-point cushion at 12-8. White and Morgan Johnson denied West to bring up match point at 14-10, and UT closed it on first try with Claire Hahn's ace at 15-10.

Cyclone Notes
*Morgan Kuhrt played in her 100th match as a Cyclone.
*Kuhrt finished with 10 kills, her third match of 2016 in double figures (all in Big 12 play) and 28th of her career.
*Alexis Conaway posted 12 kills, her second-straight match over 10 kills, fourth of the season and 19th of her career.
*Ciara Capezio had three service aces, her 13th career match with at least three aces.
*Capezio also had 14 digs, her sixth match of the season in double figures and 38th of her career.
*Jess Schaben recorded 15 kills, her fifth-straight match in double figures, ninth of the season and 28th of her career.
*Schaben also had 11 digs for her third-straight double-double and fourth of her career.
*Hali Hillegas led Iowa State with 18 digs, her fifth-straight match in double figures.
*Suzanne Horner posted 11 digs, her first match of the season in double figures and 10th of her career.

Up Next
Iowa State has a mid-week non-conference match at South Dakota on Tuesday. First serve between the Cyclones and Coyotes will be at 7 p.m. in Vermillion, South Dakota.

Players Mentioned

Ciara Capezio

Alexis Conaway

Hali Hillegas

Suzanne Horner

Morgan Kuhrt

Grace Lazard

Jess Schaben

Samara West