AMES – The Cyclones head east to Morgantown, West Virginia, for their match with No. 24 West Virginia on Thursday. Iowa State is looking for its first win ever against the Mountaineers.
Iowa State sits at 4-7-3 overall, while going 1-6-1 in Big 12 play. West Virginia is 10-2-3 on the year and 5-0-3 in conference.
The Cyclones are looking to build off their 1-1 tie versus Arizona State on Sunday. Going up against one of the top teams in the nation is no small ask, but Iowa State head coach Matt Fannon says the key to success lies in the culture.
“It’s about are they [Iowa State] playing for the right reasons,” Fannon said. “Are we competing for the right reasons, do we care enough about what we’re doing now.”
Culture is the cornerstone when it comes to success. Along with that, the Cyclones understand what they have to do on the pitch offensively to see that success come to fruition.
“I think we’re good in wide areas,” Fannon said. “So it gives us the chance to kind of play around that and put ourselves in a place where we can create opportunities from those wide areas.”
And it’s from those wide areas that the Cyclones like to get their forwards involved to put pressure on the goal. Senior forward Taylor Spitzer and freshman forward Megan Walters are those players. This season, they have scored three goals each and are key to the Cyclone game plan.
However, exploiting the defense is just one half of solving the West Virginia puzzle. For Iowa State, everyone will need to be on guard defensively for a chance at upsetting the Mountaineers.
“They’ve [West Virginia] got some excellent, combative and creative midfielders,” Fannon said. “I think where they are also strong is their front three, really athletic, really direct.”
Of that front three, senior forward Taylor White leads the charge for West Virginia. White has scored 10 goals in 15 games played, with seven assists to go along. This season, White is sixth in goals and seventh in assists in the Big 12.
The Cyclones need to finish in the top eight of the Big 12 to get into the Big 12 Tournament. Starting the final three games of the season against a team like West Virginia is not ideal. This game presents a lot of challenges for Iowa State. It can be easy to get caught up in the moment and make mistakes, but Fannon doesn’t have to worry about that with this squad.
“Now I feel really strongly that our women are really committed to what we do,” Fannon said. “And they would tell you the same thing, and we get to see it every day from them.”
Iowa State brings its most lethal weapon every game: its fighting spirit. The Cyclones are not afraid to go down swinging.
“If West Virginia is better than us, West Virginia is better than us,” Fannon said. “But it won’t be for us rolling over. That’s for sure.”
Iowa State will play West Virginia at 6 p.m. Thursday. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
