LINCOLN, Neb. – The No. 17 Iowa State volleyball team controlled proceedings from the first serve against Dayton Thursday at the Ameritas Player’s Challenge in the Devaney Sports Center as the Cyclones earned a 3-0 (25-13, 25-18, 25-23) victory. The win improves Iowa State to 5-2 on the season, while the Flyers fall to 3-4.
Turning Point of the Match
It might seem easy to say Iowa State controlled the match from the first point, but that was the case today as the Cyclones went out on a 4-0 run to start the match. The demanding serving of Caitlin Nolan combined with a pair of kills from Mackenzie Bigbee and a kill from Ciara Capezio to get ISU the early advantage.
Dayton worked hard to stay in the match, but at 16-11 ISU, the Cyclones put any questions about the first set to rest with an 8-0 run that was also served by Nolan and featured three kills from both Bigbee and Capezio.
Cyclone Match Ball Goes to…
Tenisha Matlock. There were many deserving candidates, but Matlock put up one of the most efficient matches of her career, recording 11 kills at a .588 hitting clip. Playing in her home state of Nebraska, Matlock brought energy to the Cyclones on the court after having to hear throughout the week about the lack of emotion shown during Iowa State’s previous two matches.
Honorable mentions should go to Bigbee, Capezio and Jenelle Hudson. Bigbee recorded 12 kills at a .348 hitting clip and was the catalyst for Iowa State’s early dominance. Capezio posted her first double-double with a match-high 14 kills and 11 digs. Hudson recorded her third double-double in four matches with her 34 assists and 14 digs.
Cyclone Notes
*Jenelle Hudson posted her third double-double of the season and was in double figures for digs the third time this season and 10th time of her career.
*Mackenzie Bigbee’s 12 kills marked the sixth time in seven matches this year the sophomore has been in double-figures.
*Kristen Hahn posted 16 digs, increasing her school record for most matches in a row with double-figure digs to 47 matches.
*Ciara Capezio posted her first career double-double with a team-high 14 kills and 11 digs.
*Tenisha Matlock had 11 kills to be in double-figures for the third time this season and 14th of her career. Matlock’s .488 hitting clip was the second-best of her career (.600 vs. Cincinnati in 2011).
On Deck
Iowa State’s second match of the Ameritas Player’s Challenge will be tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. against St. Mary’s (Calif.).
