McCune Leads ISU to Sweep at Ohio

ATHENS, Ohio – Iowa State (2-0, 0-0 Big 12) won in straight sets by scores of 25-18, 25-23, 25-13 facing Ohio (1-1, 0-0 MAC) Saturday to close the Bobcat Invite. Pam McCune had herself a night, hitting at the highest efficiency by a Cyclone since 2018.

McCune was stellar, hitting an errorless 11 kills on just 15 attempts for a hitting percentage of .733. The hitting percentage ties the sixth-highest single-match percentage in program history, and is the highest since Grace Lazard hit at .867 (school record) in 2018 vs. Texas Tech. The junior had the third 10-plus kill performance of her career, also putting up three blocks (one solo, two assists).

Iowa State hit at .417 in the first to start off strong, led by Tierney Jackson and Maya Duckworth who each put down four kills in the opening frame. After a tight second set and the Cyclones down by one at 23-22, Duckworth had what ISU was looking for ending the set with back-to-back kills to give ISU the 2-0 match lead. The Cyclones commanded the third for the win, ending the match hitting at an efficiency of .434.

Rachel Van Gorp had 16 digs through the three sets to lead all, while Morgan Brandt had the first Cyclone double-double of 2025 with 32 assists and 11 digs. Brandt also had two aces, two kills and a block.

SET ONE
Ohio took the first lead of the match, but after a score of 4-1 ISU went on its way to build a lead and never look back. A trio of Cyclones each put down a pair of kills prior to the midway point of the set as ISU went ahead 13-8 and continued to pull away. A Brandt ace ended the first at 25-18.

SET TWO

Jackson sent over her fifth kill to put ISU up 6-5 as the second began, but Ohio would again go ahead. Alea Goolsby halted a 3-0 Bobcat run with a kill to pull within one, and the set remained close until a tie at 11s. Three-straight Cyclone kills would make it 13-11 but Ohio did not go away, retaking the lead at 15-14. Three lead changes followed, including a crucial Duckworth kill to put ISU at set point (24-23), and Duckworth nailed down another right after to seal it in the Cyclones' favor.

SET THREE

McCune hit her ninth kill remaining without an error (.750 hitting) and Iowa State found a lead of five while holding Ohio scoreless. McCune then entered double figures on just 13 attempts, making it 8-3 ISU. The set reached the media timeout as Iowa State led 15-10 with the Cyclones outhitting the Bearcats .588-.150 in the frame. ISU put up its sixth block of the match to reach 20 points (20-11), and Iowa State provided the sweep with a 25-13 set win.

NEXT UP
Iowa State next travels to Milwaukee to meet Central Michigan, Milwaukee and South Alabama at the Panther Invite Sept 5-6.

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Team Stats

Pam McCune

Maya Duckworth

Tierney Jackson

Alea Goolsby

Players Mentioned

Morgan Brandt

Maya Duckworth

Alea Goolsby

Tierney Jackson

Pam McCune

Rachel Van Gorp

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics