Poise is the mark of both great leadership and ability. Thursday night, the Iowa women’s basketball team never lost its composure inside the hostile environment that is Hilton Coliseum.

The Hawkeyes defeated the Cyclones, 75-69, in Ames. It is the fourth year in a row that Iowa has defeated Iowa State in women’s basketball.

Leadership and quality play from front court seniors Makenzie Meyer and Kathleen Doyle steered the Hawkeyes in the right direction in Ames.

The pair got off to a sluggish start, combining for 13 points in the first half. The Hawkeyes only managed 11 points in the first quarter, but their defensive play kept them afloat, holding the Cyclones to 14 points.

The second quarter saw Iowa pick things up offensively, hanging 25 points on the board. Sophomore Monika Czinano led the way scoring 12 points in the first 20 minutes of action.

While the sophomore proved to be the engine of Iowa’s offensive in the first half, a senior dominated on the opposite end. Amanda Ollinger corralled nine rebounds and three blocks in the first half, propelling Iowa to a 36-29 lead at the break.

Despite leading by as many as nine points in the third quarter, the Hawkeyes were unable to coast to the finish line. Behind a thundering crowd, the Cyclones roared back to tie the game at the end of the third quarter, 48-48.

During a hotly contested fourth quarter, the senior front court members never blinked, scoring 16 points combined. Every time it seemed the Cyclones were in position to charge ahead of the Hawkeyes, Doyle and Meyer had a response. Timely baskets seemed to fall through the hoop every time the ball left their hands. The duo of Meyer and Doyle finished the game with 39 points.

“We withstood the runs,” Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder said. “There’s momentum, there’s shifts in the game, and we didn’t let it get to us. I’m really proud of a young team to do that.”

In the dwindling moments of the game, the result still hung in the balance, and the seniors stepped up once again making six clutch free throws to put the game on ice.

With the victory, Iowa women’s basketball’s seniors secured a career-long Cyclone sweep, winning four-straight matchups.

“I’m really happy for our three seniors that went 4-0 against Iowa State in their careers,” Bluder said. “That’s something because of the respect we have for [Iowa State’s] program. If it wasn’t a very good program, it’s not a big deal, but it’s a big deal to us because Iowa State is a good program.”

Meyer also voiced her satisfaction in an unblemished career record against the Cyclones, echoing her coach’s words.

“It’s just really cool,” Meyer said. “Like Coach Bluder said, Iowa State is such a great program, and wins at Hilton for the Hawkeyes come few and far between, so it’s really special for us to be able to get two wins here at Hilton.”

The win also boosted Iowa women’s basketball’s record to 28-22 against Iowa State and 7-13 in Ames.

The victory gave Iowa a little breathing room over Iowa State in the 2019-20 Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk series, 8-6.