SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Iowa State (6-5, 0-0 Big 12) fell to Syracuse (11-0, 0-0 ACC), one of just nine unbeaten teams remaining in the nation, in five sets to close non-conference (24-26, 25-18, 22-25, 10-15).
Lilly Wachholz had a career night with an all-time high of 21, hitting the total at a dominant hitting percentage of .395. It was the redshirt sophomore’s first 20-kill match.
Wachholz and Maya Duckworth (11) both extended their double figure kill streaks to four matches. Duckworth was one of three with double-doubles as the outside hitter totaled 11 digs.
Morgan Brandt went out to her second straight double-double and 20th of her career with 51 assists and 11 digs. Brandt had three blocks to add to her stat line.
Brooke Stonestreet totaled her 20th career 20-plus dig match, and second straight, with 27 digs. Stonestreet had her first-career double-double as she added 10 assists, also serving to two aces. Pam McCune led blockers with seven total.
In a match featuring numerous long rallies, Iowa State took the second and fourth set to force a fifth, but could not come away with the victory in its seventh match on the road this season. ISU was again without Nayeli Gonzalez and Rachel Van Gorp.
SET ONE
Syracuse found an early 7-4 lead, but the Cyclones brought it back within a point (8-7) after kills by Brandt and Faith DeRonde. Following an unsuccessful ISU challenge, Syracuse took an 11-7 advantage. Iowa State responded with kills by a trio of Cyclones to make it 11-10, Syracuse, forcing an SU timeout. Syracuse, hitting at .556, again went up by four causing a Cyclone timeout at 17-13. Iowa State continued to fight on its way to tying it at 19s. McCune ignited the Cyclones with her fourth kill on six swings, tying it at 20s to cap a long rally. More long rallies followed, with ISU grabbing a 23-22 lead after a Kiersten Schmitt kill. Another Schmitt kill brought Iowa State to set point (24-23), but Syracuse came back to take the extended set 26-24.
SET TWO
ISU took a 7-6 advantage as McCune sent the ball back, but the Orange answered with a run of four. Iowa State did not back down, flipping the lead to its favor at 12-11. The set would see a 15-15 tie, but Duckworth ignited the offense with five kills late into the set as ISU would go on to tie up the match after winning the second 25-18. ISU hit at .378 in the frame compared to SU’s .176.
SET THREE
After a big block by McCune and Brandt to give the Cyclones a lead of 7-6, another lead change followed. With the home team up 13-11, Wachholz 10th kill at a hitting percentage of .389 would bring the Cyclones back within one. Out of the media timeout, McCune laid down a pair of kills to knot things at 15s but Syracuse pushed forward to go in front 20-16. Iowa State pulled back within one at 23-22 on Wachholz’ 12th kill at .409 hitting, but Syracuse would take the third 25-22.
SET FOUR
Wachholz delivered a trio of kill to put ISU up 3-2, while ISU retained the momentum to lead 7-3 as the Orange called the early timeout. The set was all Wachholz as the hitter subbed back in and put down another pair in the midst of ISU running ahead 18-9. Syracuse would trim the advantage down, but it would prove to not be enough as Iowa State forced a fifth on Wachholz 20th kill at .389 hitting.
SET FIVE
The fifth was marked with five ties to start, with the scoreboard reading 6-6. Syracuse followed to switch sides ahead at 8-6, DeRonde trimmed the deficit to one at 9-8, but Syracuse followed to lead 11-8 as ISU called a timeout.
UP NEXT
Iowa State now turns to conference play, hosting West Virginia Saturday, Sept. 28 at 2 p.m. inside Hilton Coliseum.
