After a tough weekend loss in Duluth with only eight players, Cyclone women’s hockey brings its game back home to Ames/ISU Ice Arena this weekend for a series against Rainy River Community College.

This is the first time the Cyclones (5-15-1) will be facing Rainy River this season. However, they met a year ago, which resulted in a series loss for the Cyclones.

“We played RRCC last season, but at the time we had a very different team and we have come a long way from where we were at that point,” coach Joe McCarron said. “I know they have improved as well, so this should be an exciting weekend of hockey for all of us.”

Rainy River (9-8-0), a team located in International Falls, Minn., boasts wins over St. Scholastica and most recently Minot State University. Iowa State has struggled with both of these teams, resulting in a split and loss, respectively, of the series against them, and it is expected that RRCC will present a similar challenge.

“Rainy River will be a fast, hard-skating team that will bring tough competition with them from the northern border,” McCarron said.

Despite the challenge, the Cyclones are confident heading into this weekend. After a tough weekend loss with only eight players in Duluth, Minn., the team feels the defeat has only helped them.

“Having only eight players on our bench last weekend in Duluth brought us not only closer, but proved to us that we can play with an even shorter bench than usual,” freshman forward Dominique Lind said.

The Cyclones hope to have all players on the roster back after a weekend that kept them short due to illnesses. They have high hopes and confidence in pulling off a win, no matter how many players on the bench.

“We just need to keep up the good attitude and just push through our short bench,” sophomore Abigail Lehman said. “As long as we work hard and together, there is no doubt in my mind that we can pull off a win this weekend.”

Coach McCarron agrees they have the heart and perseverance to pull of a win.

“I expect more hard work out of our team this weekend against Rainy River,” McCarron said. “I think we should have two close games that will both go right down to the wire.”