ISU Wins Big 12 Opener at TTU

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Final F
Iowa St.	19	29	25	17	15	3
Texas Tech	25	27	23	25	12	2

Iowa St.

Texas Tech

LUBBOCK, Texas – Iowa State (7-5, 1-0 Big 12) topped Texas Tech (8-5, 0-1 Big 12) in five sets (19-25, 29-27, 25-23, 17-25, 15-12) Friday night in the Big 12 opener. Christy Johnson-Lynch moves to 16-6 in conference openers with the win.

Nayeli Ti'a led the match with 19 kills at .318, while also totaling eight digs, four assists, two aces and a block. Nayeli Gonzalez had 10 kills in the second alone and went on to total 16 for her third-straight match in double figures.

Rachel Van Gorp was stellar as usual, totaling 30 digs on the night. It is the second 30-plus dig match of the libero's career, coming three off her career high. It is also her second-straight match with 20-plus.

SET ONE

The home team got out to a 7-3 lead, while the Cyclones followed tying it seven times before the media timeout. Gonzalez had career kill No. 600 to make it 14-14 prior to the stoppage, and ISU continued to fight for the lead after but TTU won the race to 20 (20-17). Texas Tech stretched its lead taking the next three and ISU could not overcome the deficit as the Red Raiders won the opener 25-19.

SET TWO

Iowa State was unable to grab a lead as TTU again won the race to 10, but ISU trailed by just one. The Cyclones' first lead of the match came at 12-11 as freshman D'Aaliyah Kemp powered over a kill. Back-to-back strikes by Ti'a put the Cyclones in front 15-12 at the media timeout but the Red Raiders changed the lead at 17-16 while hitting errorless in the set. Pam McCune aided in ISU getting the lead back with a kill and an ace, and after the Cyclones made it 20-18, Texas Tech called a timeout. The home team came back for the lead, but ISU again flipped it late at 24-23. Neither team let up as the set extended, and on ISU's sixth attempt to convert on set point Gonzalez had her 14th kill of the match to end it at 29-27.

SET THREE
Ava Martin put over setter kill No. 5 on just six attempts as the Cyclones led 8-4 to start, and an ace by Van Gorp kept ISU in front at 15-12. Following kills by Ti'a and McCune, TTU called for a timeout at 18-15 and proceeded to come within one but another McCune kill denied the Red Raiders knotting the score. Texas Tech would come back to tie it at 22s, but Ti'a had a crucial kill to keep ISU up. McCune had two kills to follow, including the set winner as ISU took the match lead with a set score of 25-23.

SET FOUR

The teams traded runs of three to start, while Abbi Brenizer put down two-straight kills to follow, putting the scoreboard at 5-4, ISU. A third early lead change came next as TTU took another run, this one of five to run ahead 9-6. The Red Raiders held the lead from there, forcing a fifth at 25-17 while outhitting ISU .350-.103 in the fourth.

SET FIVE

Iowa State fell behind 7-5 and was forced to call a timeout, and after the break in play Ti'a put up a solo block to halt the Red Raiders run. An Alea Goolsby kill and a TTU attack error came next as Texas Tech called a timeout of its own. Ti'a then served to an ace, but ISU had two errors to follow. The hosts flipped the lead at 11-10, and after a tie at 12s Ti'a snuck in a kill to take the advantage back. A McCune kill made it match point, and ISU sealed the win on the next rally at 15-12.

Next up

Iowa State now hosts UCF Sunday, Sept. 27 for the Big 12 home opener. First serve is scheduled for 4 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

Abbi Brenizer

Nayeli Gonzalez

Alea Goolsby

D'Aaliyah Kemp

Ava Martin

Pam McCune

Nayeli Ti'a

Rachel Van Gorp

Nayeli Ti'a

Nayeli Gonzalez

Pam McCune

D'Aaliyah Kemp

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Iowa State University Athletics