After a 4-0 loss against Kentucky, Iowa State is slated to take on Iowa for the CyHawk Series on Thursday.

The Iowa State offense will need to improve on their seven shot total from Sunday’s game. Iowa’s defense has allowed an average of nine shots per game through the first six games of the season. 

Iowa State will face a unique challenge on offense as the Hawkeyes have given up only three goals all season but find themselves at a 2-2-2 record. 

“We need to be able to get our creative players being more dynamic,” head coach Matt Fannon said. “We need them to be in a position where they want the ball and want to take people on, making good decisions and aggressive movements.”

The Hawkeyes have not won since Aug. 28, when they took a 4-0 victory over DePaul. They drew against Pacific and Baylor in their last two matches and will be hungry for a road victory against an in-state rival.

The defense will need to adjust after giving up 21 shots against the Wildcats. Iowa averages 11 shots per game.

The Cyclones return to Ames after being away for five straight regular season games and an exhibition game against Minnesota. They have not played a home game yet in the regular season. 

The Hawkeyes present an opportunity for the Cyclones to get right after a 4-0 loss to Kentucky. The victory against Michigan showed flashes of what the team can be when it puts together a complete performance. 

The Hawkeyes are coming off a 0-0 draw against Baylor in Waco, Texas, so both teams will be looking to get back in the win column and score early after disappointing offensive performances.

Iowa State showed signs of growth as a team against Michigan and lost some of that momentum against Kentucky on Sunday. Thursday presents an opportunity for the Cyclones to get back on track against a rival or lose more momentum. 

The CyHawk series kicks off at 6 p.m. Thursday from Ames, streaming on ESPN+.