MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – No. 25 Iowa State (10-2, 0-0 Big 12) swept West Virginia (6-7, 0-1 Big 12) by set scores of 25-21, 25-18, 27-25 Friday night. It is the Cyclones fourth-straight sweep and seventh total of the season.
Iowa State hit at an elite percentage of .417 on the match, marking the first time since Sept. 13, 2019 the Cyclones have hit over .400. Four Cyclones with over 10 attempts hit at an efficiency of .430 or greater, including Maya Duckworth who had her third-straight double-figure performance with 17 kills (.441 hitting) through the three sets. Duckworth added to her stat line with 10 digs for her third double-double and 10th of her career.
Nayeli Gonzalez put up a dominant outing with 10 kills and just one error at an efficiency of .450, also putting up a block and totaling four digs and an ace. Pam McCune added nine kills at .462 and Jordan Hopp seven at .467 as ISU totaled 54. Setter Morgan Brandt assisted on 42 kills while totaling four kills of her own on six attempts.
SET ONE
Three-straight kills by a trio of Cyclones gave ISU the lead at 3-2 to begin. At a tie of 10-10, Iowa State hit a 4-0 run of three kills and an ace. Duckworth followed to tip over her fourth kill on eight attempts while tallying another as ISU went up 17-12. Six Cyclones sent over kills in the set as ISU won 25-21, hitting at a dominant .444 as a team. Duckworth tallied an errorless six kills at .545 in the frame.
SET TWO
The set again began with even scoring as the sides remained within a point of each other, until a 5-0 run put Iowa State ahead 11-7. Gonzalez then got her eighth kill on just 12 attempts, while Duckworth continued her stellar performance putting down her 10th to make it 15-12. The Cyclones kept it rolling, winning the second 25-18.
SET THREE
WVU began up 5-2 as ISU called a timeout. The Mountaineers remained with the lead of as much as five, while the Cyclones came back within three after winning a rally at 20-17. After a run of three, The Cyclones caught the Mountaineers at 21-21. Duckworth’s 17th kill then took ISU to match point (24-23), but WVU followed to extend the set. The Cyclones would end the match at 27-25 after a block by McCune and Gonzalez.
NEXT UP
ISU returns home for a series against No. 18 Baylor Saturday, Sept. 30 and Sunday, Oct. 1.
