Soccer season is just beginning for the Iowa State Cyclones. Here are three big takeaways from their match against Memphis Wednesday night.

Tough defense

During just their second game of the season, the Cyclones struggled to maintain an aggressive pace. The game ended with a final score of 3-0, leaving the Cyclones with a current record of 0-2.

With this being the start of the season, there is space for adjustments as the Cyclones have yet to add a victory under their belts.

As the game progressed, the Tigers quickly tightened their defense, keeping the Cyclones from making closer shots to the net for the rest of the set.

Approaching the last 20 minutes of the first half, Chloe Broughton had a grabbing altercation that led to a yellow card for the Cyclones and a corner kick from the Tigers.

Staying strong

As Iowa State faced Memphis, they kept a conservative game, which was revealed quickly within the eleventh minute when Momo Nakao scored the first goal for the Tigers.

By the end of the first half, the Cyclones had fired four shots to the net while the Tigers had landed 14 shots to the net.

In the second half of the game, the Cyclones demonstrated a more alert and aggressive offense, with Mira Emma leading the way. However, that quickly dissipated as the Tigers scored their second goal of the night.

Nonetheless, Emma did not let her guard down. There was a lot she was able to do as a midfielder throughout the rest of the game. Alongside Emma, Jordan Silkowitz excelled at blocking threatening shots mid-air and on the ground.

What’s to come

As the match came to a close, the Tigers scored their final goal with five minutes remaining, sealing the game for the Tigers. Moreover, the Cyclones have an entire season to go, bringing new opportunities to adjust and prepare for what is coming next. The Cyclones will take their travels to Omaha, Nebraska, next as they face Creighton at 3 p.m. Sunday.