Last week’s decisive victory against the No. 12 Missouri Tigers earned the ISU women’s gymnastics team a sixth-place national ranking and left it with confidence that this week’s trip to Iowa City will produce a victory.

The Cyclones will try to avenge last year’s trip, which resulted in their first loss to the Hawkeyes in 20 consecutive meets.

At practice Wednesday, the gymnasts’ faces were focused and determined, but also solemn, knowing that the week had left three of their teammates with possible sidelining injuries that could make this week’s battle for state supremacy a daunting challenge.

“Iowa is going to be a very worthy and strong opponent,” said head coach K.J. Kindler. She said Iowa has built a strong program over the past several years, which led to the Hawkeyes’ first-ever team qualification for the national meet last year.

“We’re going to have to be on our A game to win,” Kindler said.

Since Saturday’s meet against Missouri, senior Chee Chee Calina, junior Abigail Richey and freshman Jade Kvach have all sustained injuries. Up to 11 of the Cyclones’ top routines could be at stake if the injuries sideline this trio of top performers.

“I don’t know if we have the depth to cover the loss [of their routines],” Kindler said. It will test the squad strength as a team, she said.

The Cyclones competed in Missouri without scores from Richey, the reigning Big 12 co-vaulting champion, after a knee injury that occurred in the warm-up session. Assistant coach Kristen Hoeferlin said Richey will not compete Saturday.

Calina, who ranks No. 3 nationally on the balance beam, suffered a knee injury earlier in the week and has undergone light training. Hoeferlin said Calina’s ability to compete in Iowa City will be determined at Friday’s practice. The coaching staff is also awaiting recommendation from doctors on the severity of an elbow injury suffered by Kvach Wednesday, but Hoeferlin said she doubts she will be able to compete on the uneven bars.

“We’re not going to be able to put our strongest team on the floor,” Kindler said. “But, it will really help us figure out what this team is made of.”

The Cyclones will still be able to challenge the No. 12 Hawkeyes with strong performances from sophomores Laura-Kay Powell and Erin Dethloff.

The duo’s outstanding performances at Missouri resulted in Powell earning ranks of No. 10 in the all-around and No. 13 in floor exercise, while Dethloff ranks No. 2 on floor exercise, No. 4 on balance beam and No. 11 on vault.

Both gymnasts said they agreed the confidence built in Missouri will be key to the Cyclones’ success.

Dethloff said the confidence built in Missouri was especially important facing Iowa because it’s such a huge rivalry, and the team will be competing in the Hawkeyes’ home training facility. Additionally, she said she felt the meet was a great learning experience for the team’s freshmen, who will play a key role in the Cyclones’ success.

Dethloff said that with confident performances, the team still hopes to notch a win over the Hawkeyes.