AMES – Iowa State collected its fifth loss of the season against No. 21 Colorado after a 1-0 loss. The loss is the Cyclone’s first in conference play after a win over Kansas and a no-contest against Central Florida.
Zimmerman and the defense kept the Cyclones alive
The Cyclone defense held strong Sunday after 24 shots were fired off by Colorado. Iowa State defender Ella Zimmerman was responsible for three crucial steals, creating a spark that allowed the offense to generate momentum.
“We certainly put our foot down,” Iowa State head coach Matt Fannon said. “We had a lot more of the game in the second half, and the women really fought for it.”
Cyclone goalkeeper Avery Gillahan recorded nine saves out of 11 shots-on-goal. Eight of Gillahan’s saves came in the first half, holding the Buffaloes scoreless throughout and late into the second half of the game.
“Colorado has proven that they are good with their movement in the penalty area,” “Fannon said. “In almost every moment, we took care of it.”
Iowa State gave up 18 shots in the first half against a strong Colorado offense, marking the second-most this season behind a 3-0 loss to Iowa, in which the Cyclones gave up 20. Colorado’s defense held Iowa State to four shots, three of which came in the second half. None of the four attempts were on target.
“Moving forward, we need to turn our performances into a bit more production,” Fannon said. “I don’t want to talk about luck, but it goes in both directions.”
Second half opportunity misses
The Iowa State offense was anything but dormant entering the second half. Many of the opportunities presented to the Cyclones resulted in offside calls, halting runs from midfielder Lauren McConnell and forward Magdalena Keck.
Second-half momentum was held by the Cyclones, playing a majority of the minutes on the front foot. Iowa State took two corner kicks in the second half, both of which were connected but failed to find the back of the net.
The Cyclones had an opportunity in the 72nd minute to score, but a wide shot by Zimmerman was cleared out by the Buffaloes’ defense. Iowa State’s offense failed to generate anything beyond that opportunity, ultimately resulting in the Cyclone’s second consecutive loss this season.
Following the loss, Iowa State will head to Salt Lake City, Utah, to take on the Utah Utes before continuing on to face the BYU Cougars in Provo. The Cyclones will search for their second win in conference play after falling to 1-1-0 in the Big 12 Standings.
Fans can catch the Cyclones at home again on Oct. 6 at Cyclone Sports Complex for a matchup against the Kansas State Wildcats. The matchup will take place at 1 p.m. and can be streamed on ESPN+.
