Iowa State Cements 20-Win Season on Senior Day

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State (20-9, 11-7 Big 12) reverse swept Cincinnati (12-16, 5-13 Big 12) on Senior Day by set scores of 27-29, 21-25, 25-20, 26-24, 15-12. The Cyclones cemented the eighth 20-win season under Christy Johnson-Lynch while improving to 7-1 in five-set matches this season. Two had 20-plus kills while three went out to double-doubles in the victory.

Iowa State and Cincinnati both hit above .300 as the first set was extended with Cincinnati pulling ahead 29-27. Cincinnati took the second to go up 2-0 in the match, but ISU showed its grit hitting at.276 in the third and .378 in the fourth to come back.

Maya Duckworth hit nine kills in the first set at .333, while Nayeli Gonzalez also had nine at .438 in the third to make for a new Iowa State season set best. Duckworth went on to total 20, a new career high, while Gonzalez had a match-high 28 at .382. Defensively Duckworth added a career-high 17 digs for her fifth double-double of the season and 12^th of her career. Gonzalez had her fourth 20-plus kill performance and sixth double-double with 12 digs. Alexis Engelbracht totaled three in double figures with her 11 at .321 hitting.

Morgan Brandt put up a career-high 65 assists while adding 11 digs for her 13^th double-double this season. Paula Krzeslak started at libero, going out to a career highs in both digs (20) and aces (4).

SET ONE

Iowa State put the first three points on the board, but the Bearcats answered to take their first lead of 6-5. As Cincinnati remained up 11-8, back-to-back kills by Engelbrecht set Iowa State on its way to tie the score at 12s. A Jordan Hopp kill brought ISU ahead by one (15-14) at the media timeout. Krzeslak then served to an ace to keep the Cyclones ahead by two at 17-15, while Cincinnati followed to knot the score at 22-22. Duckworth would proceed to put down her eighth kill to make it set point in favor of ISU at 24-23. Five more set points between the sides were then seen before the Bearcats won the extended set 29-27.

SET TWO

Duckworth tallied kill No. 10 to give ISU the slight edge at 6-5 as the second kicked off. The run extended as Hopp and Brandt put up a wall, putting the scoreboard at 8-5. Krzeslak added another ace to her stat line to keep ISU ahead at 12-9, while Brandt sent over an ace of her own to make it 14-10. UC took a lead of 15-14 after a run including back-to-back aces, causing Iowa State to call a timeout. With Cincinnati up 23-18, ISU brought it back within three after a block by Hopp and Brandt and a kill by each of the two. Hopp hit another kill to fight off set point, but a Cincinnati kill took them ahead in the match 2-0.

SET THREE

Cincinnati went out to lead 8-3, but Engelbrect totaled her eighth kill at over .400 hitting and Krzeslak had her third ace leading to ISU coming back within one at 10-9. Two straight kills by Gonzalez then gave ISU its first lead at 11-10. Gonzalez totaled her sixth of the set to make it 15-13, while Engelbrecht notched her 10^th at .364 hitting to lead by four (17-13). Hatch and Gonzalez made for three straight ISU kills to stretch a lead of six at 21-14. Cincinnati came back within four, but Iowa State took the third 25-20 on Gonzalez' 16^th kill of the match and ninth of the set.

SET FOUR

Brandt put down her fourth setter kill to make it a three point Cyclone lead at 10-7 as Cincinnati followed to take a lead of 13-11 to cause an ISU timeout. Gonzalez hit kill No. 20 right after to trim the lead to one while Duckworth notched her 17^th to tie it up. The duo went back-to-back again to take ISU ahead 16-14. ISU found set point at 24-22 with Cincinnati taking the next two to again extend the set. ISU kept on, forcing a fifth on a Hopp kill.

SET FIVE

Annie Hatch totaled the Cyclones' seventh ace to give Iowa State the lead of 8-5 as the teams switch sides. Cincinnati followed to tie it up 9-9. Duckworth then sent over kill No. 20, with Iowa State running out to four straight to lead 13-9. ISU went on to seal the win by reverse sweep on a Gonzalez kill 15-12.

NEXT UP

Iowa State will now wait to hear its name called during the NCAA Selection Show tomorrow, Nov. 26 at 5 p.m. CT on ESPN.

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Team Stats

Nayeli Gonzalez

Maya Duckworth

Alexis Engelbrecht

Jordan Hopp

Players Mentioned

Morgan Brandt

Maya Duckworth

Nayeli Gonzalez

Annie Hatch

Jordan Hopp

Paula Krzeslak

Players Mentioned

Morgan Brandt

Maya Duckworth

Nayeli Gonzalez

Annie Hatch

Jordan Hopp

Paula Krzeslak

Sponsors

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