No. 6 seeded Iowa State volleyball challenged No. 3 seeded Florida within the second spherical of the NCAA match Saturday night time.

Taking part in on its residence courtroom, No. 12 ranked Florida overcame a match-leading 13 kills from Iowa State senior Eleanor Holthaus to finish Iowa State’s 2022 marketing campaign. Holthaus posted 10 digs to finish a double-double in her remaining collegiate volleyball match because the Gators eradicated Iowa State.

Iowa State completed the 12 months with a 20-12 general file. It was the primary 20-win season for Christy Johnson-Lynch and Iowa State since 2018 and the eleventh in class historical past.

“We don’t get outdone fairly often, they usually outdid us by fairly a bit and had some very nice offensive nights from some gamers,” Johnson-Lynch stated. “I simply thought it was a very full recreation from them.”

The Gator protection

Florida persistently stopped Iowa State’s hitter from discovering the ground and gaining offensive momentum.

The Iowa State passers and setters arrange its offense for 118 assaults. However the Florida protection restricted the Cyclones to a .110 hitting proportion on Saturday night time.

Key Iowa State attackers had been restricted within the match. Freshmen Maya Duckworth, Iowa State’s second-leading scorer this 12 months, was profitable on 5 assaults on 26 swings. Duckworth misfired for six errors within the second NCAA match of her profession.

Iowa State junior Solei Thomas appeared to search out momentum within the first set. She led Iowa State with six kills after the primary body. Nevertheless, Florida restricted Thomas for the remainder of the match. She completed with seven kills on 22 makes an attempt.

Florida completed the match, beating the defensive-minded Cyclones in digs. Iowa State, who led the Huge 12 in complete digs in the course of the common season, made 40 digs towards Florida.

The SEC champion Gators made 64 digs as they superior to the third spherical of the NCAA match.

Florida steals the second

After Florida received an in depth first set 25-19, Iowa State regarded to have a solution.

Iowa State made three expensive service errors and allowed Florida to strike first within the match. However the second began with Iowa State main 5-1 and Florida head coach Mary Clever needing to take a timeout.

Iowa State leaned on its veteran Holthaus. She made six kills within the second body, and on the conclusion of the set, she led the match with 9 kills.

Florida, nevertheless, was capable of mount a comeback to steal the second set and the momentum of the match. Florida battled to safe the win within the second set 25-23.

Florida senior Marina Markova ended the second set with seven kills, together with the ultimate kill of the defining second body.

Within the third, Iowa State by no means regained the momentum. Florida completed the Cyclones by profitable the third by 11 factors.  

A extra balanced Florida

Florida used contributions from gamers up and down its lineup to overhaul Iowa State Saturday night time.

Florida sophomore Merritt Beason posted 12 kills, and the senior Markova got here off the bench to match her teammate with 12 of her personal. Markova and Beason shared a team-high for the match.

Florida libero Alexis Stucky made her mark with 33 assists, and the dig-leader for the Gators Elli McKissock, led the match with 17 digs. Emily Canaan and Beason each added double-digit dig totals to the field rating.

Total, Florida carried out a whole staff win over the Cyclones. Iowa State had solely Holthaus in double figures. 

“I believe our season as an entire, as arduous as that is tonight, was unimaginable,” Johnson-Lynch stated. “In case you look again at the place we began and what our staff regarded like in August and September to what we had put collectively for the season and getting so far, that’s a fairly unimaginable story proper there.”