After putting up its first win of the season against the University of California at Irvine, the Cyclones took a trip out to Iowa City to face the University of Iowa in a Cy-Hawk Series matchup. The Cyclones lost against the veteran Hawkeye team 2-1.

Cyclone defense tested

The Cyclones’ defense was tested all night long by the Hawkeye attack. The Hawkeyes maintained possession of the ball for a majority of the first half and a good part during the second half. Of course, with longer possession time came more scoring opportunities for the Hawkeyes.

The Hawkeyes found the back of the net twice off eight shots on goal and 18 total shots. While the Hawkeyes had plenty of scoring opportunities, the Cyclones held them scoreless through the first half. One of the two Hawkeye goals came from beyond the 18-yard box.

The Cyclone defense did a great job of getting in front of potential shot opportunities and passes, as well as keeping constant pressure on the Hawkeye attack throughout the pitch. Junior goalkeeper Dayja Schwichtenberg notched five saves off the 18 shots faced.

Second half improvements on offense

The Cyclone attack struggled early on against the tough Hawkeye defense. The Cyclones first shot came with nearly three minutes left in the first half and the Cyclones ended the first half with only two shots, while the Hawkeyes ended with a total of 12 shots.

Despite this, the late attacking opportunities paved the way for an improved Cyclone attack in the second half.

The Cyclones notched their second goal of the season when freshman forward Abbey Van Wyngarden fired one right outside the 18-yard box, scoring her first career goal for the Cyclones. That goal tied the game up at 1-1 with about seven minutes left, although the Hawkeyes answered back moments later for the 2-1 lead.

Iowa State had a great opportunity to score off a corner kick before the Van Wyngarden goal, but once the ball went into the back of the net, it was waived off due to a foul.

Battle tested for regular season home opener

The Cyclones have faced some tough opponents to start out their season. Their regular season start saw them compete with No. 4 University of California-Los Angeles, UC Irvine and now Iowa, all of which were on the road.

The next matchup for the Cyclones comes on Sunday when the Purdue University Boilermakers come to Ames for the Cyclones regular season home opener. After being tested on the road, especially getting to play one of the top teams in the nation, the Cyclones will be able to play in front of a home crowd for a change.

Kickoff for the home opener is scheduled at 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon at the Cyclone Sports Complex.