K-State Faces Friday Night Road Test at Iowa State

MANHATTAN, Kan. – K-State travels to Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa, to take on the Iowa State Cyclones Friday night for a nationally televised match on ESPNU, with first serve set for 7 p.m.

K-State (12-8, 2-7 Big 12), who is receiving votes in the latest AVCA Top 25 poll, saw its two-match winning streak come to an end Wednesday in a four-set defeat vs. Oklahoma at Ahearn Field House. Iowa State (11-11, 4-5 Big 12) was swept at home Wednesday night by No. 8 Texas, snapping its three-match winning streak.

The Wildcats last won in Ames in 2007 and seek to break a run of four consecutive losses overall to the Cyclones. ISU claimed the season's first meeting in Manhattan in four sets earlier this month.

Friday's match will also stream on WatchESPN and the ESPN app and Rob Voelker will be on the call on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) with free, live audio available at K-StateSports.com/watch.

MATCH #21
K-STATE (12-8, 2-7 Big 12) at IOWA STATE (11-11, 4-5 Big 12)
Friday, October 26, 2018 // 7 p.m. // Hilton Coliseum (8,524) // Ames, Iowa
TV: ESPNU // Tyler Denning (pxp) and Lizzy Stemke (analyst)
Watch Online: WatchESPN // ESPN app
Radio: KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) // Rob Voelker
Listen Online: K-StateSports.com/watch | Live Stats

K-STATE AT A GLANCE

K-State (12-8, 2-7 Big 12) fell to Oklahoma in four sets at Ahearn Field House Wednesday night, 23-25, 17-25, 25-23, 19-25.
Redshirt freshman Brooke Heyne led the Wildcats with 14 kills while junior Elle Sandbothe added 10.
The Sooners picked up a season-high 19.0 team blocks in limiting the Cats to a season-low .120 hitting percentage.
Oklahoma swept the season series with K-State for the first time since 2012.
K-State is receiving votes in the latest AVCA Top 25 after a 2-0 week in which the Wildcats knocked off top-25 opponents in then-22nd-ranked KU and No. 24 Baylor.
The Cats knocked off back-to-back ranked opponents for the first time since 2012, including their first road sweep of a ranked foe since 2002.
K-State picked up its first win in Waco since 2014 and its first straight-set victory at the Ferrell Center since 2007.
Heyne led the Cats offense with her career-best 15 kills on her way to being named Big 12 Rookie of the Week.
Dixon was named Big 12 Co-Offensive Player of the Week, leading the league with 12.43 assists per set last week.

SCOUTING IOWA STATE

Iowa State (11-11, 4-5 Big 12) saw its three-match winning streak come to an end Wednesday night in a straight-set home loss to No. 8 Texas
The Cyclones are led by outside hitter Jess Schaben and her 3.62 kills per set, which rank fifth in the Big 12.
ISU is the conference leader with 16.22 digs per set as a team, led by 4.78 per set from libero Hali Hillegas.
In conference-only matches, the Cyclones are hitting .246 which is the second-highest efficiency in the league while averaging 13.03 assists a set - tops in the Big 12.
The Cyclone offense is tallying 13.76 kills/set in conference play, which is second in the Big 12.

INSIDE THE SERIES

Iowa State owns a 52-41 edge all-time in the series, dating back to 1976, and has won the last four in the series overall.
The Cyclones took the season's first meeting (3-1) in Manhattan back on Oct. 10.
ISU seeks a series sweep for the second straight season after the teams have split the home-and-home each of the previous five years.
K-State last won in Ames in 2007, a streak of 10 consecutive matches.
Head coach Suzie Fritz is 17-18 in her career vs. Iowa State and is 6-10 on the road in the series.

SAY HEY KID

In the first three starts of her K-State career, redshirt freshman outside hitter Brooke Heyne has posted three straight matches with double-digit kills.
Heyne produced a career-best 15 kills while hitting .467 at No. 24 Baylor last week on her way to being tabbed Big 12 Rookie of the Week Monday.
Over the last four matches, she has a team-high 49 kills (3.27 per set) while hitting .248 with 22 digs and five blocks.
She led the Wildcats with 14 kills against Oklahoma Wednesday night.
The 5-foot-11 Omaha native posted a dozen kills in K-State's four-set win over KU last week.

ROLLIN' SAND

K-State middle blocker Elle Sandbothe has at least 10 kills and five blocks in three of the past four matches.
Sandbothe led the Cats with seven stuffs Wednesday against Oklahoma to go with 10 kills and has led the team in blocks in three of the last four outings.
The 6-foot junior registered five blocks against Iowa State on Oct. 10 and at Baylor last week.
She registered a season-best 12 kills while hitting .500 in the Cats' four-set win over rival Kansas on Oct. 17.
Sandbothe ranks in the league's top 10, hitting .319.

THE GLO SHOW

Through the first nine matches of Big 12 play, K-State freshman Gloria Mutiri leads the Cats with 104 kills and 2.97 kills per set in conference-only matches while hitting .242.
The Sand Springs, Oklahoma, product has reached double-digit kills in seven of nine conference matches and has led the team in kills in four of nine league matches.
Mutiri matched her season high with six block assists and 14 digs against Oklahoma Wednesday.
The 6-foot-2 opposite is third on the squad in both blocks and digs with 21 total blocks (0.60 per set) and 73 digs (2.09).
Mutiri was named Big 12 Rookie of the Week on Sept. 17.

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Players Mentioned

Brooke Heyne

Gloria Mutiri

Elle Sandbothe

Kansas State University Athletics