AMES — Iowa State looks ahead to its week in Utah by facing the University of Utah for the first time Thursday after suffering a 1-0 loss against then-No. 21 Colorado.
Despite the loss to the Buffaloes, the Cyclones battled to the end, with their defense controlling the field. Iowa State fought a well-even matchup throughout and although the lack of offense was apparent with a collective four shots on goal, the defense held strong.
Although the loss was devastating, head coach Matt Fannon emphasized the good moments the team had as it was a powerful game.
“In this game, we really pushed [hard],” Fannon said. “In the last 15 minutes, we put our foot down and imposed our will of the game a bit more. It was a great moment for us as a team.”
Coming into their fourth matchup of Big 12 play with a 1-1 conference record, the Cyclones are looking to use the momentum from their previous game to secure a win.
“I think we have put ourselves in a place where the women are making decisions on the field rather than feeling like they need to follow a specific plan,” Fannon said. “We have enough leaders on the field now that we are in a space where it’s in their hands, and they feel good with it.”
The Utes are entering the match following a 2-1 loss against Brigham Young University. Utah currently sits at a 4-4-2 record, 1-2 in the Big 12.
Forward Taliana Kaufusi leads the Utes with nine goals and a total of 19 points this season. Following closely behind is senior forward Katie O’Kane, who has been leading the team during conference play with a total of two goals under her belt and four points during her time in the Big 12 Conference this season.
“Utah has an incredibly quick center forward, so they can score a goal out of anything,” Fannon said. “So the concentration and focus for 90 minutes straight from our defenders is going to be the biggest challenge.”
Leading Iowa State are forwards Magdalena Keck and Morgan Furmaniak, who have a combined seven goals and 17 points this season.
Despite the challenges the Cyclones may face when playing against Utah, the players are eager to continue their conference play and secure a win.
“They are excited,” Fannon said. “One of the best things about our team is that they are not scared of anyone or worried about going into any game with anybody. It is going to be a little bit of a chess match, but that’s for the coaches to worry about. The players just need to go and get after it.”
Iowa State will play Utah for the first time at 8 p.m. Thursday in Salt Lake City, Utah. The game will be live-streamed on ESPN+.
