The Cyclones continued the battle for their first conference victory as they stepped foot into Fort Worth, Texas, to face TCU. So far, the Cyclones stand at 0-3-1, while the Horned Frogs maintain a steady pace at 2-0-2. However, the Cyclones dropped another match in the conference series as their match with TCU ended 3-0.

Lack of pressure

At the beginning of the first half, the Cyclones were challenged by Kennedy Clountz as she approached the net with a threatening direct shot. Jordan Silkowitz felt the pressure of the game as her first save of the game unfolded early on. 

Not long after, the Horned Frogs gained more momentum to approach the net again and score the first goal of the game, placing TCU in the lead; Messiah Bright scored in the 11th minute. 

The second goal of the match was scored at the 16:33 mark by Gracie Brian with an assist by Bright. 

As the end of the first half approached, the Horned Frogs outshot the Cyclones 11-0. Within the first half, the Cyclones struggled to maintain control over the ball, allowing the Horn Frogs to feel more confident in the field and dominate the game.

Right in front of the net

During the beginning of the second half, a common mistake for the Cyclones was the open space the defense maintained, which allowed the Horned Frogs to continue approaching the box time after time and landing shots on goal that gave Silkowitz a test for her skills. 

Silkowitz thrived at maintaining her ground while keeping a sharper focus in her saves and was determined to guide her team toward a more aggressive game. 

For the cyclones to take the lead, they would’ve had to gain more consistent possessions, but that was not the case, as Grace Coppinger scored the third goal of the match at the 70:44 mark. 

Time for adjustments

At the end of the match, the Cyclones were not able to dominate the ball, which sealed the game at 3-0. 

Up next, at 6 p.m. Oct. 13, the Cyclones come home to host Baylor in Ames. The match will stream live on ESPN+.