AMES, Iowa – Iowa State (9-3, 1-0 Big 12) made plays in the clutch late in sets to help complete a 3-0 (25-21, 25-18, 25-23) sweep of TCU (6-5, 0-1 Big 12) Friday night at Hilton Coliseum. The Cyclone attack had one of its best performances of the season, hitting .375 in the victory.
ISU was led by 10 kills from Kenzie Mantz, while Iowa State’s middles were both strong with Candelaria Herrera posting nine kills at .533 hitting and Alexis Engelbrecht six kills at .667. Engelbrecht led the block with six blocks, while Marija Popovic guided the back-row with 17 digs.
Set One: Iowa State 25 TCU 21
Iowa State took advantage of three TCU attack errors in a 5-0 run to get ahead 8-5 in the frame. The visitors were tough to get out of the way, as they were ahead at 21-20 on a kill from Audrey Nalls. ISU was able to step its game up from there, with Jaden Newsome acing to put Iowa State back ahead 22-21, and the Cyclones wrapping up the set on a kill from Kenzie Mantz at 25-21.
Set Two: Iowa State 25 TCU 18
TCU got out to a quick start to were able to build-up a five-point advantage at 12-7 after a kill from Julia Adams. Alexis Engelbrecht got two kills and a block as part of a 4-0 run that cut the deficit to one at 12-11. The Cyclones then sped ahead and did not look back with a 7-0 run that featured kills from Brooke Andersen, Candelaria Herrera and Annie Hatch, to move ahead 19-15. Iowa State fired 15 kills with no attack errors in the second, hitting .517 on the frame. Herrera fired consecutive aces to claim the second 25-18.
Set Three: Iowa State 25 TCU 23
It took awhile for either team to get some breathing room, but it was the Frogs who eventually got some space in the set, getting ahead 13-10 via a 3-0 run. Newsome killed to snap the run, and found Engelbrecht at 15-14 to put the Cyclones back ahead. The teams continued to battle for each point, with the third set featuring 14 ties and five lead changes. However, the final lead change went to Iowa State, as Newsome killed again to tie the set at 23-23, with TCU then seeing Adams and Nalls fire consecutive attack errors to wrap up the match foe Iowa State.
Player of the Match
Alexis Engelbrecht. The sophomore middle had made plays when she saw the court, finishing with six kills at .667 hitting and a team-high six blocks on the night.
Up Next
Iowa State and TCU will play against at 4 p.m. inside Hilton Coliseum.
