Defense Lifts Wildcats to Sweep Over No. 21 Iowa State

AMES, Iowa – For the second time in school history, K-State recorded its fifth Top 25 win of the season, downing No. 21 Iowa State in straight-sets Saturday afternoon at Hilton Coliseum to close out the regular season, 25-16, 25-15, 25-19.

K-State, which is receiving votes in the latest AVCA Coaches Poll, finished the regular season with an overall record of 17-9 with a 10-8 mark in Big 12 play. The Wildcats' 17 wins are the most under third-year head coach Jason Mansfield and the program's highest win total since 2016.

With the win, K-State matched its single-season record five wins over ranked opponents, a record set in 2023. It marks the second season with five top 25 wins in the Mansfield era.

Backed by 63 digs and 10.0 team blocks, the Wildcats limited the Cyclones to a .043 team efficiency – their lowest of the year – and kept them under .000 in both the second and third sets. Four different players eclipsed the 10-dig mark, led by Aniya Clinton with 16 digs and five blocks. Jordyn Williams also finished five blocks.

Iowa State (22-7, 12-6 Big 12) ends the regular-season into a tie for third-place in the Big 12 standings, trailing only 2025 Big 12 Regular-Season Champion Arizona State and Kansas.

Senior setter Ava LeGrand handed out 29 assists to go with 14 digs for her team-leading 16^th double-double of the season. A product of Papillion, Nebraska, LeGrand becomes the eighth player in school history to record 16 or more double-doubles in a single-season, moving into a four-way tie for ninth.

Shaylee Myers was the only player in Saturday's contest to reach double-digit kills, finishing with 16. She added 10 digs for her seventh double-double of the season.

FROM THE CATS
JASON MANSFIELD, K-STATE HEAD COACH
Overall Statement…
"Unbelievable way to end the season. I thought we played incredible. It was our best defense performance of the season. For [Iowa State] to hit negative in the second and third set, I think says a lot. It's the best we've served and blocked and defended the whole season. So great job by Steve Astor, my associate head coach, defense coordinator. I thought we did a phenomenal job. And we came out, and we were aggressive. We hit .471 in the first set and it's something we've been searching for a while. And so, I just think the combo of our offense and defense today was pretty special.

On team's fifth Top 25 win of the season…
"It's incredible that this group continues to rise the occasion. And I've said it for three years now, I think we can play with anyone in the country if we play like we're capable of playing if we play together and we played together today, and I think we can beat anyone."

On the team's bounce back from Wednesday's loss vs. UCF….
"To have match point and to find a way to not get it was disappointing. But again, the way we bounce back, the way we came to play today, I think speaks for itself. The way we played in the first set, again hitting .471 against a really good defensive team is something that we're capable of doing. We just haven't done it very often. I think the bounce back is what I expected with this group. We have a competitive group, and we have a veteran group that I know they want to beat teams that are really good."

SET-BY-SET
Set 1 – K-State 25, #21 Iowa State 16

The Wildcats put pressure on the Cyclones early on in Set 1, taking a 10-4 advantage behind a .538 hitting percentage (8 kills, 1 error, 13 attempts).
Each team exchanged blows before K-State stretched its lead back to six, 20-14, with an ace by Clinton.
Myers put down six kills in Set 1 with no errors on 12 attempts to hit at a .500 clip.
As a team, K-State produced a .471 hitting percentage (18 kills, 2 errors, 34 swings), while the defense limited ISU to a .237 team efficiency (13 kills, 4 errors, 38 attempts), including six kills from Ti'a.

Set 2 – K-State 25, #21 Iowa State 15

K-State carried momentum over from Set 1, jumping out to a quick 7-1 lead.
Highlighted by a 6-2 scoring run, the Wildcats expanded their lead out to 20-10 to put the set away.
Despite hitting at a .103 team efficiency, the Wildcats managed to hold ISU to a -.049 hitting percentage behind 23 digs and three blocks.

Set 3 – K-State 25, #21 Iowa State 19

Iowa State scored three unanswered points to bring the set within four, 23-19, and force the first timeout from the K-State bench of the match.
Back-to-back attack errors handed the Wildcats the set victory.
K-State tallied 23 digs in the third set alone, with seven from LeGrand.

INSIDE THE BOX

K-State swept past #21 Iowa State Saturday to end the regular season – 25-16, 25-15, 25-19
The Wildcats hit at a .233 team efficiency (42 kills, 15 errors, 116 swings), while limiting Iowa State to a .043 hitting percentage (26 kills, 21 errors, 116 swings.
Two players registered double-doubles in the win, as LeGrand dished out 29 assists with 14 digs while Myers had 16 kills and 10 digs.
The defense tallied 10.0 blocks – the teams seventh match in double figures.
Five different Wildcats contributed a block, led by five from Clinton and Williams.
K-State recorded 63 digs, as four players reached the 10-dig mark led by 16 from Clinton.
Myers was the only player in the match to reach double-figure kills (16).
K-State out-served ISU, 6-2, with Clinton and LeGrand each posting two.
Caleigh Ponn added 10 digs for her eighth match in double figures.

BEYOND THE BOX

K-State is 49-58 all-time against Iowa State, that includes an 18-29 record in matches played in Ames.
K-State has won eight of the last 10 meetings, including four of the last five matches played on the road.
The Wildcats ended the regular season 5-5 against Top 25 teams, that includes a 3-3 mark on the road.
With the win, K-State ties the program record for most wins over Top 25 opponents in a single-season.
LeGrand recorded her 16^th double-double of the year, becoming the eighth player in school history to reach the milestone and tying ninth overall in the category.
K-State improves to 11-17 overall against ranked teams under Mansfield.

UP NEXT
The Wildcats are seeking an at-large bid to the 2025 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship, entering the selection show with a current RPI of 34. The Big 12 – the nation's top conference in RPI – has 11 teams inside the top 50 in RPI.

The field of 64 tournament – 31 automatic bids with 33 at-large teams – will be revealed by the selection committee on Sunday, November 30 at 5 p.m. CT on ESPN.

– k-statesports.com –

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Defense Lifts Wildcats to Sweep Over No. 21 Iowa State

Team Stats

Shaylee Myers

Aniya Clinton

Brenna Schmidt

Reagan Fox

Players Mentioned

Aniya Clinton

Ava LeGrand

Shaylee Myers

Caleigh Ponn

Jordyn Williams

Players Mentioned

Aniya Clinton

Ava LeGrand

Shaylee Myers

Caleigh Ponn

Jordyn Williams

Kansas State University Athletics

Defense Lifts Wildcats to Sweep Over No. 21 Iowa State

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