Carly Jenson's Iowa State career has not been what she expected.
At just 5-foot-11 and "undersized" as a hitter, the Millard North graduate never envisioned holding her own against the taller powerhouses in the Big 12.
Nor, after two years of spot duty, did she expect to be starting for the Cyclone volleyball team.
But thrown into the lineup last season by coach Christy Johnson-Lynch after another starter was injured, she's blossomed into a unanimous first-team All-Big 12 performer. She's the leading hitter on the team heading into Friday's 7:30 p.m. home matchup with Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
"Christy always kept telling me I can do it and I can be that player," Jenson said. "I eventually grew into that role."
Jenson is averaging 3.92 kills per set, 3.28 digs and 0.52 blocks playing both the front and back row, the only Cyclone to do so. Consistency, she said, is her strength.
"I try to stay the same every game," she said. "Not necessarily amazing every game, but consistent for my team. I try to go after it every time."
Jenson, a former walk-on, is one of five Nebraskans starting for the Cyclones (22-5), who are making their sixth straight appearance at nationals. Three of them are seniors.
Caitlin Mahoney, a senior defensive specialist from Omaha Marian; Tenisha Matlock, a sophomore middle blocker from North Platte; Jamie Straube, a junior middle blocker from Tecumseh; and Kelsey Petersen, a senior right-side hitter from Kearney, also start. Petersen and Mahoney share a position, with Mahoney a fixture in the back row, where she's seen action in every match the past three years.
Mahoney, Jenson said, brings a lot of energy to the court, always yelling and getting everyone going. All-Big 12 pick Straube, who hit a team-high .323 with a Big 12-leading 0.39 aces per set, is the leading server while Petersen has become a terminator in the front row.
Jenson said it's crazy to think that so many Nebraskans are such a vital part of the program.
"It shows just how good of a recruiting place Nebraska is," she said. "I think our club programs are really good. Nebraska is such a big volleyball state."
Jenson doesn't regret not getting a chance to play for the Husker volleyball team, which is also at nationals, because she's had so much success at Iowa State. A perfect fit, she calls it.
But it wasn't always easy. She struggled with blocking at first. Then, because she was so much smaller than other hitters, she had to learn to beat them at the net.
"You just try to hit really high and hit smart shots," she said. "If you hit low, obviously it's going to get blocked."
Iowa State is a host for the first two rounds. Jenson said the Cyclones have a good draw in what she says is a wide-open race for the NCAA title.
If the Cyclones win Friday night, they'll play Saturday against the winner of the Miami (Fla.)-Northern Illinois match.
Jenson said they are determined not to overlook Wisconsin-Milwaukee (25-4) like they did Creighton in their opener last year. She said the Cyclones were looking ahead and the Bluejays caught them off guard.
"I think everyone kind of knows we can't look past them," Jenson said. "We do have a really good bracket and we know that, and we want to take full advantage."
Contact the writer:
402-444-1034, marjie.ducey@owh.com
Copyright ©2012 Omaha World-Herald®. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, displayed or redistributed for any purpose without permission from the Omaha World-Herald.
