Iowa State Falls Just Short vs. No. 14 Kansas, 3-2

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State (17-8, 8-6 Big 12) fell just short against No. 14 Kansas (19-5, 10-4 Big 12) Saturday afternoon in five sets. It was the Cyclones' first loss in a five-set match.

ISU won the first set and fourth to force a fifth for the second day in a row, and extended the fifth set but came shy of the comeback. ISU matched KU's 70 kills, but was slightly outhit at .291-.238. The Cyclones also had their third 10-plus ace match of the season dialing in 11, led by Maya Duckworth and Nayeli Gonazlez with four each. It is the 21^st 10-plus ace match under Christy Johnson-Lynch.

Duckworth went out to her fourth straight 10-plus kill performance as she set a career high of 19 and totaled 10 digs for her fifth double-double of 2023. Gonzalez joined in putting up her fourth-straight double-figure performance with 15, while adding a career-high 16 digs for her second double-double in as many days. Lilly Wachholz and Alexis Engelbrecht also went out to double-figure performances, their second straight, as Wachholz sent 15 at .394 hitting and Engelbrecht 14 at .440.

Brooke Stonestreet was dominant with her defense, totaling a new career-high 33 digs for her second straight 20-plus dig match and seventh of the season. Stonestreet now totals 985 career digs.

SET ONE

Gonzalez remained unstoppable, recording three kills for three of the Cyclones' first four points as KU led by one at 5-4. An ace by Engelbrecht would then cap a run of three to give ISU a 10-8 advantage. Duckworth then sent over two straight aces to put ISU up 13-9. With Iowa State ahead 18-15, Duckworth got her fourth kill on eight swings. KU would fight off two set points but ISU took the match lead by a set score of 25-23. Iowa State recorded six aces by four Cyclones in the set while Gonzalez and Duckworth both totaled five kills.

SET TWO

With the set tied at 6s, Kansas would follow to build a lead of seven (14-7) as KU's Caroline Bien put down four kills. The Jayhawks would stretch their lead to 17-10, but a trio of kill by Duckworth would keep the Cyclones in it. ISU continued to cut into KU's lead, coming within three at 22-19 and 23-20, but Kansas took the set 25-20 to even the match.

SET THREE

Kansas took the first six points, but Iowa State battled on to trim the lead down as Duckworth served up her fourth ace to put the scoreboard at 9-8. Gonzalez would then get her 10^th kill as Kansas led 12-9, while the Jayhawks continued hitting efficiently to go ahead by five (15-10). Back-to-back blocks followed by a Stonestreet ace put the score at 16-14. The Jayhawks would then take seven straight to lead 23-14, and found set point at 24-16. Iowa State would fight it off twice but Kansas pulled ahead 25-18.

SET FOUR
Iowa State would take a lead of 5-4 after kills by Duckworth and Engelbrecht before Kansas went up 10-7. The Cyclones followed to knot the score at 10 after Gonzalez' third ace. The Cyclone then extended their run to five after Wachholz hit her 10^th kill. The set would then see ties at every point up to 18 as Wachholz remained hot totaling her sixth kill of the set. A kill by Engelbrecht took ISU to set point while Kansas would then take the next point, but another Engelbrecht kill sent the match to five.

SET FIVE
Duckworth started out the set with her 17^th kill, while Gonzalez delivered her fourth ace to start up 2-0. Two Engelbrecht kills would then keep KU scoreless, but the Jayhawks battled back to tie it at 7-7. Engelbrecht sent her fourth kill of the set to the floor to keep the Cyclones ahead at 10-8, but KU went on to take three straight points and the lead at 11-10. The lead would continue to flip, with ISU going on to find match point, but the set would go on to be extended. Ties at 15s, 16s and 17s would follow, but Kansas ended the match to take the victory at 19-17.

NEXT UP

Iowa State hits the road next week to meet a pair of ranked opponents in Texas. The Cyclones will first meet No. 3 Texas on Wednesday, Nov. 15 before meeting No. 22 Houston Friday, Nov. 17 for the first time since 1983.

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Team Stats

Maya Duckworth

Lilly Wachholz

Nayeli Gonzalez

Alexis Engelbrecht

Players Mentioned

Maya Duckworth

Alexis Engelbrecht

Brooke Stonestreet

Lilly Wachholz

Players Mentioned

Maya Duckworth

Alexis Engelbrecht

Brooke Stonestreet

Lilly Wachholz

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics