Iowa State vs. No. 21 Colorado Primer

Who: Iowa State (3-4-2, 1-0 Big 12) vs. No. 21 Colorado (8-1-0, 2-0 Big 12)

Where: Cyclone Soccer Complex – Ames, Iowa

When: September 22 – 12 p.m.

Kicking Off
Iowa State will wrap a three-game homestand this Sunday against the 21st-ranked Colorado Buffaloes at the Cyclones Soccer Complex. Sunday, the team will host the annual Pups at the Pitch match, so if you'd like to bring your dog, you can register here: https://forms.gle/3BD8p3KmPYky2nDz6.

Iowa State's last outing, Thursday against UCF, was cut short due to persistent lightning in the Ames area. The match was suspended in the 67^th minute and ultimately called off two hours later, resulting in a no contest. The Cyclones and Knights, who were receiving votes, were scoreless at the time of interruption.

The Buffaloes will make their first appearance in Ames since 2008, as they rejoined the Big 12 this summer. Colorado will arrive in Ames closing out the final leg of a three-game road trip. The Buffs have won seven straight and are coming off a big win at previously unbeaten No. 12 Oklahoma State on Thursday night.

From the Notebook

In its no contest against UCF, lightning caused a stoppage in the 67th minute at 7:35 p.m. In ISU's last no contest, in 2021 against Oklahoma State, lightning also stopped play in the 67th minute at 7:35 p.m.
For the first time since 2016, Iowa State opened Big 12 conference play with a win, defeating Kansas 1-0 in Lawrence. It was the second straight year ISU beat KU 1-0.
The Cyclones earned their second shutout of the season against Kansas, as keeper Avery Gillahan ran her career clean sheet mark to five.
It took both Magdalena Keck and Morgan Furmaniak just five matches to have at least three goals scored. Last year, it took ISU until the 12th game to have a pair of players with three goals.
Iowa State had eight goal scorers last season and already eclipsed that number (9) against Michigan.
Injuries have played a part in the early season for the Cyclones. Olivia Edwards, Jocelyn Bice and Avery Horner have been held out of all nine games, while senior Hannah Shaw will likely miss the remainder of the season after being injured at Memphis.
ISU's six goals against UNI were its most since 2012, when it put seven on the board against UNI, winning 7-1. The team also posted its most assists in a single game since 2014.
Iowa State head coach Matt Fannon earned career win number 100 against UNI on 8/25.
For just the 16th time in 538 outings, Iowa State scored 6+ goals in a match against UNI to close out August.
Iowa State's 12 regular season home games are tied for the most in a single season in school history. The only other time ISU had 12 home games (1997), the team went 9-3.

Leading the Cyclones
Through nine contests, the Cyclones boast a balanced offense. Senior Magdalena Keck leads the team in points (9), holding a trio of goals while also toting a team-high three assists. Fellow senior Morgan Furmaniak holds the team lead in goals with four.

Senior Hannah Shaw and Sophia Thomas each have a pair of scores to round out the multi-goal athletes for ISU. Defenders Ella Zimmerman, Isabella Agrusso, Adelaide Wolfe and Chloe Broughton all also have goals to their names, along with midfielder Seulgi Lee.

Avery Gillahan has been the primary keeper this season in the net for the Cyclones, having played 790 minutes. Gilly tallied her fifth career shutout and second of the season against Kansas on Thursday. She currently has 44 saves and holds a 1.59 goals-against average.

Opponent Outlook
Colorado has been an efficient club this season, as they lead the conference in shots on goal per contest. Hope Leyba (20) leads the conference in SOG, while Shyra James (18) owns the third most. Both also average over four shots per contest.

Hope Leyba and James each have a team-high five goals and 11 points through nine games. Ava Priest is third on the team in points, toting a pair of scores and a trio of assists. In the net, Jordan Nytes, a three-time Big 12 Goalkeeper of the Week, has held it down for the Buffs. Nytes has six shutouts and a .46 goals-against average.

Overall, Colorado is outscoring its opponents 19-5 and averages 2.11 goals per game. The team has 158 shots, launching 17.6 a match.

Series History
Iowa State and Colorado were original Big 12 members, having had met every season from 1996 to 2010 before the Buffaloes left for the Pac-12. Colorado holds the all-time series edge, but Iowa State fares much better at home against the Buffs, as it is 2-3-1 in Ames.

Up Next
After having played five of their last six matches in Ames, the Cyclones will take to the road, as they're set to spend a week in Utah. Iowa State will next be in action this Thursday, September 26, against conference newcomer Utah in the teams' first-ever meeting. Thursday's match will kick off at 8 p.m. and will be streamed live on ESPN+.

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Players Mentioned

Isabella Agrusso

Jocelyn Bice

Chloe Broughton

Olivia Edwards

Morgan Furmaniak

Avery Gillahan

Avery Horner

Magdalena Keck

Seulgi Lee

Hannah Shaw

Sophia Thomas

Adelaide Wolfe

Ella Zimmerman

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