Cyclones Set To Face No. 7 Florida

AMES, Iowa - The Iowa State Soccer team (2-5-1) is set to take on another nationally-ranked opponent this weekend, as No. 7 Florida (6-1) comes to Ames. The Cyclones and Gators will face-off at noon on Sunday at the Cyclone Sports Complex. The game will be televised live on Cyclones.tv.

There will also be a bags tournament (register here) and student tailgate beginning at 11 a.m. CT. Admission is free to all home soccer matches during the 2017 season.

Scouting the Gators
Florida enters Sunday's match boasting a 6-1 record, including a 1-0 mark in SEC play. The Gators are coming off their first conference match of the season, a 1-0 victory over No. 24 Mississippi. Sunday marks the second time in as many seasons that Iowa State and Florida have met on the pitch. The Gators won last year's meeting in Gainesville, 5-2, in ISU's season-opener.

Iowa State's coaching staff has strong ties to the Florida program. ISU assistant coach Megan Kerns was an All-American for the Gators in 2008. She earned All-SEC First Team honors as a senior while leading the conference in goals (13), and ranking second in points (35) and third in assists (9).

Cyclone Soccer Headlines
-The Cyclones are looking to rebound off a 0-2 weekend in California, where Iowa State was clipped 2-1 by Cal State Fullerton, before a 2-0 loss to the defending national champion, No. 12 USC.

-Iowa State's schedule continues to look like one of the toughest in the country, with four games scheduled against teams currently ranked in the NSCAA top-15 (No. 12 USC, No. 7 Florida, No. 14 Oklahoma State and No. 6 West Virginia). Iowa State is the only program in the country to play both of last year's national finalists (USC and West Virginia). Both of those matches are on the road.

-Junior Klasey Medelberg broke through for her first goal of the season against Cal State Fullerton. In the game's 90th minute, Medelberg created space while working left to right from just beyond the 18-yard box, firing a shot that found the back of the net to cut ISU's deficit to 2-1.

-No. 12 USC scored two goals in the opening 20 minutes of last Sunday's match in Los Angeles before the Cyclones found their footing. After being out-shot 13-0 in the first half, the Cyclones narrowed the gap to just 8-7 in the second stanza and allowed just two opportunities on goal. ISU also out-cornered the Trojans 6-2 in the match.

-Junior defender Jordan Enga has been a stalwart on the Cyclone back line, having started every game this season at center back, after tallying 10 starts in 2016. Enga ranks No. 1 on the team in playing time with 725 of 740 possible minutes played so far this season.

-Following a scoreless first half vs. UMKC on Sept. 3, an aggressive Iowa State side came out and controlled the second half. Freshman Courtney Powell eventually broke through with a goal in the 73rd minute, with an assist from Brooke Tasker to put Iowa State on the board. Powell now leads the Cyclones with two goals on the season.

-Emily Steil came through with her first goal of the season in the 76th minute vs. UMKC on a header off a cross from sophomore Hannah Cade, extending the Cyclone lead to 2-0.

-Iowa State has established itself as one of the youngest rotations in the Big 12, with freshmen Dayja Schwichtenberg, Courtney Powell, Kassi Ginther, Tavin Hays, Abigail Harbin, McKenna Schultz and Shea Sullivan all playing at least 10 minutes vs. USC. Schwichtenberg has started six matches in goal, while Harbin and Powell have also garnered starts.

-Powell was a bright spot for the Cyclones despite an 0-2 weekend in Iowa City August 25-27. Powell scored the first goal of her career on a break-away in the 58th minute of ISU's contest vs. Minnesota. Sophomore defender Carly Langhurst was also a standout, leading the Cyclones with three shots, including one on goal, in the overtime loss to Iowa. Her play on the backline was also exceptional in holding the Hawkeyes scoreless in regulation

-The Cyclones opened the 2017 season with an emphatic 3-0 victory over Creighton at the Cyclone Sports Complex on Aug. 18. Iowa State scored all three of its goals in the second half to improve to 3-1 in season-openers under head coach Tony Minatta.

Follow Iowa State Soccer's Twitter account (@cycloneSCR) for live updates during the match. Results will be available on Cyclones.com after the conclusion of the game.

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Players Mentioned

Hannah Cade

Jordan Enga

Kassi Ginther

Abigail Harbin

Tavin Hays

Carly Langhurst

Klasey Medelberg

Courtney Powell

McKenna Schultz

Dayja Schwichtenberg

Emily Steil

Brooke Tasker

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