PRIMER: Iowa State vs. Utah

Who: Iowa State (4-5-2, 0-2-0 Big 12) vs. Utah (4-5-2, 1-2-0 Big 12)

Where: Cyclone Sports Complex (2,000) – Ames, Iowa

When: Thursday, September 27 – 6 p.m. CT

Kicking Off
Former Ute keeper Eme McClenahan and the Cyclones will look to open October with a win, as ISU searches for its first points of the Big 12 slate. Iowa State has not won an October opening game since 2021, which was also the last time it qualified for the Big 12 Championship.

The Cyclones will look to snap a three-game skid Thursday evening, as Iowa State fell to No. 10 West Virginia, 2-0, last time out. ISU was limited to just three shots on goal in the defeat.

Utah comes to Ames after picking up its first conference points of the season last time out, upsetting No. 23 UCF in Salt Lake City. The Utes used two first-half scores and some stingy defense (only six shots allowed, all in the second half) to win.

From the Notebook

Through 10 games, 11 different Cyclones have scored goals.
Iowa State shut out five of its first seven opponents, marking the first time since 2015 an ISU squad has done so.
Iowa State's 2-1-1 start to the season was tied for the best four-game opening stretch by an ISU team since 2016.
Iowa State's two highest-scoring games under Coach Fannon have come against UNI. A 6-0 win over the Panthers in 2024 marks the most in a game, while the 5-0 win from August is the second-most.
Morgan Goodman recorded the first three-plus assist game by a Cyclone since Ashley Johnson in 2012, when she collected a trio of helpers against Kansas City.
- Goodman finished with five points against the Roos, the most by a Cyclone in a game since Emily Goldstein at Oklahoma in 2013.
Iowa State scored four goals in the win over KC. It was the fifth game of the Fannon Era that ISU has netted at least four goals in a contest.
Iowa State drew nine corner kicks against Omaha. It was the team's most in a single game since 8/20/23.
Iowa State earned a season-opening result for the fourth consecutive season, as it dispatched Omaha, 1-0.
After two seasons with San Francisco without earning a point, Danica Lunceford scored her first career goal in her first contest with the Cyclones, which would prove to be the game-winner.
ISU lost over half of its 2025 roster (14 players) over the offseason.
Morgan Struttmann, Giovanna Hansen and Maia Soulis will miss the remainder of the season with injury.

Leading the Cyclones
Through 11 outings, Morgan Goodman leads all Cyclones in points with six, holding a team-high four assists. Alaina Villa, Megan Walters and Sophie Forrester are tied for the team lead in goals with two apiece. Erin Hopewell leads the team in minutes played (887), while Forrester leads in shots (20).

Eme McClenahan has started each contest between the pipes for ISU. The redshirt freshman has three clean sheets and a pair of combined shutouts to her name this year. She has 39 saves so far, tallying a career-high 10 saves against Iowa.

Overall, the Cyclones have scored 14 goals and allowed 10 through 11 contests. The team has 142 total shots, averaging 12.9 per contest, and has placed 38.0% of them on goal.

Opponent Outlook
Utah's attack is a balanced one, as six athletes have multiple scores. Both Shannon Davidson and Julia Oka (2 goals, 3 assists) are tied for the team lead in points with seven. Katie Callaway and Reese Clem are tied for the team lead in goals with three.

In net, Anna Solomon has played every possible minute for the Utes. She's allowed 10 goals and holds a 0.92 goals-against average, having saved 77.9 percent of shots she's faced.

Overall, the Utes have scored 15 goals and allowed 10 through 11 contests. The team has 156 total shots, averaging 14.2 per contest, and has placed 44.9% of them on goal.

Series History
Utah and Iowa State will meet for just the second time ever in a series that remains tied, as the teams battled to a 0-0 draw back in 2024. The Utes will be making their first trip to Ames for the match.

Up Next
Iowa State will head out for the start of a three-game road trip as it travels to Tempe, Arizona, to face off with the Sun Devils. ISU and ASU will square off at 9 p.m. CT, and the contest will be streamed live on ESPN+.

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Players Mentioned

Sophie Forrester

Morgan Goodman

Giovanna Hansen

Erin Hopewell

Danica Lunceford

Eme McClenahan

Maia Soulis

Morgan Struttmann

Alaina Villa

Megan Walters

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics