The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Iowa State
Armstrong and Magee again strong, but Volleyball falls to Iowa State
09.17.2005 | Volleyball
AMES, Iowa -- For the second match in a row, middle blockers Leticia Armstrong and Brandy Magee combined for 40 or more kills, but that total wasn't enough to lift the 18th-ranked Texas volleyball team over Iowa State as the Cyclones topped UT 22-30, 31-29, 30-22, 30-27 on Saturday night at the Hilton Coliseum.
ISU's victory was just the second in the 20-match series history between the two teams. Iowa State (7-5, 1-1 Big 12) also won the 2003 match between the two teams in Ames, also by a 3-1 score.
With the loss, Texas (6-2, 1-1 Big 12) saw its five-match winning streak snapped.
While the Horns' middle blockers were collecting kills, the UT outside hitters struggled at the net. Four players who rotated through the outside combined for a total of 19 kills, but they also had a collective 25 errors on 94 attacks (-0.07 attack percentage).
Armstrong and Magee hit a combined .397 with 40 kills on 73 attacks with 11 errors.
Texas, which was ranked seventh nationally in team hitting percentage in last week's NCAA statistics with a .305 mark, was held to no more than a .208 mark in any game and only a .146 average for the match.
On the other side of the net, Iowa State did not hit much better, only connecting for a .161 mark for the match. Katie Jessen led the Cyclones with 18 kills, while Meagan Ferrie added 13 - with no errors - in the victory.
ISU dominated at the net, registering 17 blocks, including 11 by Erin Boeve, while Texas managed only 11 as a team. Armstrong paced UT with seven, matching her career high.
Texas' Alyson Jennings led all players with 19 digs, while Michelle Moriarty collected her second double-double of the season with 52 assists and a career-high 16 digs. Kiley Hall added 10 digs in the loss. Four Cyclones had double-figure digs, led by Big 12 dig leader Katie Churm's 18.
In the first game, Texas took the lead at 8-7 and continued to build its edge until the team was able to close out with a 7-1 run and take a 1-0 lead in the match. In the second game, Texas had a lead as big as four points - 26-22 - late in the game, but the Cyclones rallied and after a Moriarty kill saved game point and tied the game at 29-29, ISU used a kill and a UT attack error to even the match at one game apiece.
Game three began as a back-and-forth affair, but at 7-7, Iowa State went on a 12-3 run to move ahead 19-10 and cruise to the victory. The Longhorns got no closer than six points down the stretch.
After UT led 10-8 in the fourth game, the Horns swung for six-straight attack errors - which included four straight Cyclone blocks - to push momentum toward ISU. At 28-22 in favor of Iowa State, Texas tried to rally and got within two points at 29-27, but Amanda Craig's kill gave the Cyclones the match and the team's second-ever victory over Texas.
The Longhorns return to action on Wednesday, Sept. 21, when they host Kansas at Gregory Gym in a 6:30 p.m. match.
.png&width=84&height=84&quality=100&type=webp)