AMES – Coming off a 3-0 thrashing win over Texas Tech, Iowa State is back on the road for a one-match road trip against No. 9 Kansas at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.
The Cyclones are 9-8 on the year and have a 3-3 conference record. The Jayhawks are perfect in conference play with a 7-0 record, including four sweeps of Big 12 opponents. Kansas boasts a 16-1 overall record, with its one loss coming to then-No. 9 Creighton.
Freshman libero and outside hitter Rachel Van Gorp has found great success in the past two matches. She had a double-double in both matches, her first two of the season and her career. In the 3-1 loss to No. 24 BYU, Van Gorp had 11 kills and 14 digs, and had 10 kills and 11 digs in the 3-0 win over Texas Tech.
Redshirt junior middle blocker Amiree Hendricks-Walker has stepped up her play in the absence of sophomore middle blocker Pam McCune. Hendricks-Walker has averaged 10.67 kills in the past three matches while putting up a .479 hitting percentage.
The Jayhawks have played the fewest sets in the Big 12 with 58, compared to the Cyclones’ 72. Despite this, the Kansas offense has a four-headed monster that has 150 or more kills.
Senior outside hitter Ayah Elnady leads the way for Kansas with 154 kills. Senior setter Camryn Turner leads the Big 12 in assists per set with 11.33.
The Cyclones’ match against BYU was their first against a ranked opponent this year. The match against Kansas will be a significant jump. It will likely be the Cyclones’ toughest test so far, and it would take a lot for them to come away with a win.
However, Iowa State is coming off a strong performance against the Red Raiders, a match that head coach Christy Johnson-Lynch said was the best her team had played in a long time.
The Cyclones’ quick match against Texas Tech featured a distributed offense that saw three players put up 10 kills. Johnson-Lynch has preached the importance of depth and players being able to play in different areas all year. Against the Red Raiders, it seemed like the Cyclones put it all together for a full match.
Another Cyclone who has stepped up is freshman setter Emily Bobbitt. Junior setter Morgan Brandt is the clear-cut starter and has had a successful season, but when Bobbitt hears her name called, she takes advantage of it. In the past two matches in which she has seen time in every set, she had 21 and 18 assists.
In order for Iowa State to leave Lawrence, Kansas, with a win Wednesday, it will need everyone to contribute at a high level. The Cyclones take on the No. 9 Jayhawks at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. The match will be televised on FS1.
