Iowa State faced its second road test of the season in the Gaucho Invite against Utah State. The Cyclones outlasted the Aggies in four sets for a 3-1 victory that moved them to 4-1 overall this season.
With a great performance from senior Lilly Wachholz, a balanced attack from the Cyclones’ offense and the team coming together in tight sets, Iowa State found ways to come through when it mattered most.
The Cyclones return to action Tuesday at Hilton Coliseum to face in-state rival Iowa at 6:30 p.m., with the match streaming on ESPN+.
Wachholz shines
When Iowa State was looking for a consistent offensive attack, Wachholz was the one to deliver.
The senior found success on the right side, finishing the match with 18 kills on 31 attacks. Wachholz committed just three errors to end her night with a hitting percentage of 48.4%.
Her efficiency was key for the Cyclones as they rallied off two straight-set victories after they lost set two 25-17.
Cyclones balanced attack
While Wachholz led the way on offense, the Cyclones’ offense saw many contributions throughout the lineup.
Senior Nayeli Ti’a added 11 kills, with senior Nayeli Gonzalez finishing with eight and freshman D’Aaliyah Kemp with six.
Kemp had a highly efficient night with six kills on just nine attacks and zero errors for a 66.7% hitting percentage.
The Cyclones’ variety of options on offense made it difficult for Utah State to focus on one hitter.
Winning the moment
The Cyclones’ ability to win close sets was the deciding factor in their win against the Aggies.
In set one, Iowa State never trailed and found a way to win 25-20. In set two, the Cyclones made mistakes with two service errors and Utah State jumped on Iowa State and dominated for a 25-17 set victory.
Iowa State battled back in set three in a back-and-forth set that forced the Cyclones to score more than 25. They took the final two points to win set three 28-26 in a set that saw 11 ties.
After trailing 21-19 in set four, the Cyclones went on a 5-0 scoring run and forced a Utah State timeout.
Utah State punched back with two points in a row, but the Cyclones ultimately came out on top after an attack error by Utah State’s sophomore Silina Damuni led to Iowa State taking the set 25-23 and the match 3-1.
