Volleyball: Cyclones fall to K-State

The following is a press release courtesy of Iowa State athletics communications. 

MANHATTAN, Kansas – The Iowa State volleyball team fell to Kansas State Wednesday night 3-1 (25-23, 25-12, 23-25, 25-14) at Ahearn Field House. The loss drops ISU to 8-6 on the season, 1-3 in Big 12 play. Kansas State is now 16-2 overall, 3-1 in Big 12 competition.

Morgan Kuhrt led the Iowa State offense with 13 kills, while Alexis Conaway chipped in with 10 kills and six total blocks.

Turning Point of the Match

An intense first set belonged mostly to Iowa State in the early proceedings, but K-State was able to find its way back into the match and tying it at 15-15. The Wildcats built up a 23-20 lead in the third, but the Cyclones were able to get back-to-back points to make it 23-22. When KSU got set point, Kuhrt held off the first set point with a kill, but Chelsea Keating eventually got the needed kill and K-State took the frame 25-23.

The second set was all Kansas State as the Wildcats built up a 13-6 lead. Iowa State was able to get three-straight points to bring it back down to 13-9 in favor of KSU, but the Wildcats then stormed ahead and ran away with the second at 25-12.

Iowa State showed some fight in the fourth set. After trailing for most of the early proceedings, the Cyclones eventually tied it at 13-13 and moved ahead to 15-13. K-State fought back from 21-17 down to take a 22-21 lead in the frame, but the Cyclones got back-to-back kills from Kuhrt and Alexis Conaway to take the third 25-23.

After a couple of early Iowa State leads, K-State took control of the fourth set after ISU scored three in a row to reduce the Wildcats lead to 12-9, only concearing five of the final 18 points to win the fourth frame 25-14 and take the match.

Cyclone Notes

*Morgan Kuhrt finished with 13 kills, her fourth match this season and seventh of her career with at least 10 kills.

*Alexis Conaway finished with 10 kills, her fifth 10-plus kill match of the season. Conaway has at least 10 kills in five of ISU’s last eight matches.

*Conaway finished with a solo block and five block assists, her eighth 5.0 total blocks-plus match in ISU’s last 11 matches.

*Caitlin Nolan finished with 20 digs, her fifth 20-dig match of the season and her career.

On Deck

Iowa State returns home to take on Oklahoma at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday. Fans with ticket stubs from the Saturday football game against Toledo can present their ticket at the Hilton Coliseum Ticket Office on the day of the match to receive $2 tickets. The match will be televised nationally on ESPNU.