AMES, Iowa – No. 22 Iowa State (9-6, 3-2 Big 12) will host its first conference match against West Virginia (8-11, 0-5 Big 12) on Wednesday night at Hilton Coliseum. The teams last met when the Cyclone swept the Mountaineers in 2003.
The Cyclones are sitting on 699 program wins, looking to secure No. 700 on Wednesday night and despite their 3-2 conference record, Iowa State is out-hitting, out-digging, out-assisting and out-serving its conference opponents this season. The largest margin, as is Iowa State pattern, is on defense where the Cyclones are digging 17.42 balls per set, better than their opponents who get under 14.84 Cyclone attacks per set.
Libero Kristen Hahn has been instrumental in the Cyclones’ defensive dominance, digging a Big 12-best 6.05 balls per set. Both Hahn and freshman Jenelle Hudson have scored quick points for Iowa State from the service line this season. Each player is averaging 0.42 aces per set, tied for fourth in the Big 12.
Sophomore outside hitter Victoria Hurtt has become a fixture in the top-10 Big 12 offensive standings, ranked fourth in kills per set (3.32) and sixth in points per set (3.58). Senior Rachel Hockaday is coming off her first 20-kill match since 2008, also her eighth double-double match of the season.
West Virginia has had a bumpy start to life in the Big 12. The Mountaineers have yet to win a match, coming closest in a five-set loss at TCU on Sept. 22. West Virginia is averaging just 9.58 assists per set and hitting .105 in conference play. Anna Panagiotakopoulos (.250), Brittany Sample (.205) and Evyn McCoy (.200) lead the team in hitting.
First serve on Wednesday night is set for 6:30 p.m. CDT.
Cyclone Notebook
• Iowa State will host Big 12 newcomer West Virginia on Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. CDT at Hilton Coliseum.
• The last meeting between the Cyclones and Mountaineers was a 3-0 Iowa State sweep in 2003.
• Saturday’s win over the Red Raiders was the 12th-consecutive victory in the series for Iowa State.
• Texas Tech is the first conference road win for the Cyclones this season.
• The match is the second win for Iowa State this season when dropping the first set.
• Libero Kristen Hahn posted 24 digs at Texas Tech, the eighth match this season in which the junior has recorded more than 20 digs.
• Saturday was also the 25th-straight double-digit dig match for the junior and the 50th double-digit dig match of her career.
• Hahn has collected 995 digs in her career.
• Last week, Hahn averaged 6.00 digs per set, keeping her atop the Big 12 dig rankings with an average of 6.05 digs per set in conference play this season.
• Senior Rachel Hockaday tied a career-high with 20 kills against Texas Tech.
• With 11 digs in the match, Hockaday has 50 career matches with at least 10 digs and eight double-doubles this season.
• Continuing where she left off against K-State, Hahn aced Texas Tech, three times, tying her career-high set earlier last week against the Wildcats.
• Hahn and freshman Jenelle Hudson are tied for fourth in league play with 0.42 aces per set.
• Sophomore Victoria Hurtt tied a career-high with six digs down in Lubbock.
• Hurtt ranks in the top-10 in kills and points during league play. The sophomore is fourth with 3.32 kills per set and sixth with 3.58 points per set.
• After Saturday’s performance, Hockaday has also cracked the top-10 with 2.84 kills per set against Big 12 opponents.
• Middle blocker Tenisha Matlock ranks 10th in the league, hitting .299 in Big 12 play through five matches
• Hurtt’s 56 attack attempts at Kansas is tops among Big 12 players in conference play this season.
• Hahn’s 33 digs against the Big 12 are the most in a league match this season and the only performance of 30 digs.
• No team has recorded more or assists or digs in a league match than Iowa State, with 62 assists against Baylor and 84 digs at Kansas.
• The Cyclones remain the only team digging better than 17.00 balls per set, averaging 17.42 digs per set in their first five Big 12 matches.
