Volleyball Serves up First Taste of Cy-Hawk Series

The Iowa Hawkeye volleyball team will start the Cy-Hawk series tonight in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, and hoping to put together an upset over the #11 Cyclones. Both teams are playing well, and both teams deeply want to get a win over the in-state rival.

While the majority of Iowa’s volleyball team consists of out-of-staters, there are 4 native Iowan on the roster. Four players, out of 13 on the roster, who know all too well what this rivalry means. Four players (at least) who know that the Cy-Hawk rivalry goes further than football and deeper than sports. On the Ames side, five players are native Iowans, and they surely have spread the word about what the Cy-Hawk series means to the state.

Hawkeyes don’t want to beat the Cyclones, we want to dominate them. Hawkeyes want to be bigger, faster, stronger, smarter, better looking and drive a fancier car than the Cyclones. And the same goes for the Cyclones, many of whom would rather prefer their football team go 1-11 and beat the Hawkeye than go 6-6 and receive a bowl bid.

The Cyclones volleyball team currently sits at 6-1; their only loss coming to then #13 Florida. Most recently, the ISU volleyball team knocked off #18 Northern Iowa, making short work of the Panthers in three sets. The Hawkeyes also sit with one loss, but haven’t yet faced the caliber of competition that ISU brings to Carver tonight.

The Hawkeye leaders include Mallory Husz, who has 84 kills, a team high, and Becky Walters (Upper Deck Beck), who is second on the team with 69. Walters also has 35 digs, a display of her senior experience and ability to do a little bit of everything well. The Hawkeyes need to keep it close. Iowa seems to start slow, being 2-4 in first sets. However, the Hawks have a winning record in all other sets, including 3-0 in match deciding fifth sets. The only problem: Iowa State has yet to be forced into a fifth set. Four of their six wins came in sweeps, the other two in four sets. They haven’t been pushed, yet. (FYI- ISU’s lone loss to Florida came in four sets.

Sharon Dingman and senior leader Becky Walters will be tested, but this is a great chance to put their stamp on the college volleyball ranks. If the squad can come together and play good team volleyball, they can hang with the Cyclones. If they keep it close, anything can happen. And maybe, just maybe, the Hawkeye volleyball team can start the weekend, and the Cy-Hawk series, with a win. Either way, we all know the Hawks are still smarter, better looking and probably drive fancier cars.