TicketsCINCINNATI — The University of Cincinnati volleyball team came up short in against No. 22 Iowa State after falling in four sets on Wednesday night inside Fifth Third Arena.
The Bearcats (14-11, 7-8 Big 12) fell to the Cyclones (21-5, 11-4 Big 12) on Wednesday night. Despite hitting .296, Cincinnati couldn’t keep pace with an Iowa State offense that posted a .392 clip and 74 kills. UC held a 9-4 blocking advantage, but the Cyclones’ efficiency carried the night.
Junior outside hitter Sydney Nolan delivered an exceptional performance, recording 22 kills on a .438 clip. She took 48 swings with just one error and added six digs and three blocks. Her 22 kills marked her team-best ninth 20-kill match of the season, and her second straight.
Senior outside hitter Carly Glendinning added 17 kills and nine digs, while sophomore setter Andi Spies distributed 35 assists.
Three straight points by the Bearcats gave them a 6-5 lead in the opening frame. Iowa State answered with a 3-0 run, capped by a Nayeli Ti’a ace, to go up 9-7. A Spies kill brought UC within one at 13-12 before consecutive Cyclone points pushed the margin to 18-14. Nolan trimmed the deficit to 19-17 with a kill, but a trio of Iowa State points extended the lead to 23-18 as the Cyclones closed out the set, 25-20.
A service ace by Lilly Gillespie gave UC a 5-4 edge in the second stanza. Iowa State responded with a 4-1 stretch to take a 10-7 advantage. Highlighted by kills from Glendinning and Nolan, Cincinnati used a 3-1 spurt to make it 15-12. Later, back-to-back kills and a Cyclone error tied the set at 20-all. The Bearcats earned set point at 24-23, but Iowa State steadied and used a timely 3-0 run to take the frame and grab a two-set lead.
The third set opened with both teams trading points before a Gillespie ace put Cincinnati up 6-5. Spies and Tatjana Simeunovic combined for consecutive blocks during a 3-0 burst to make it 10-8. Iowa State answered with runs of 5-1 and 3-0 to pull ahead 17-12. The Bearcats chipped away, highlighted by a Paige Pickering kill to bring it to 20-17. Moments later, a Nolan kill ignited a crucial 6-0 surge that lifted UC to a 25-23 comeback win.
Iowa State moved ahead 7-4 early in the fourth frame following a kill from Faith DeRonde. Four straight UC kills from three different Bearcats cut the deficit to 10-9, and a Nolan termination made it 15-13. Back-to-back Cyclone kills widened the gap to 17-13. Successive Glendinning kills again brought Cincinnati within two at 17-15, but a 5-1 Iowa State run built enough separation for the Cyclones to close out the set, 25-19, and the match.
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The Bearcats host their last home match of the season against No. 21 Colorado on Wednesday, Nov. 19, at 6:30 p.m., inside Fifth Third Arena. Four seniors will be honored after the conclusion of the match. Nolan slammed down a kill for Cincinnati to make the score 15-13.
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