The current standing of the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk series is 13-9 in favor of the Cyclones. With ISU gymnastics traveling to Iowa City this weekend, the team has a shot to clinch the series with a victory in the final non-conference road meet of the season.

“There’s a huge rivalry between Iowa State and Iowa,” said senior Caitlin Brown. “As an Iowa State student and as an Iowa State athlete you want to beat Iowa, period.”

And beat Iowa is exactly what the team did last year, when the meet took place at Hilton Coliseum. The records between Iowa State and Iowa have shown a constant battle between the two teams, with Iowa claiming victory in 2013 and Iowa State taking the win in 2014.

“Historically, when we travel [to Iowa], they win. When [Iowa] travels here, we win,” said head coach Jay Ronayne. “We need to reverse that.”

Iowa State’s focus has been toward the Big 12 Championships and the NCAA Regionals, but this Cy-Hawk meet has taken on an extra focus in the gym, with the aim of taking out this big rival in order to continue on to the postseason with a great momentum.

The two squads face an even matchup with close records. Iowa State currently holds a record of 6-9-1, while Iowa stands with a 5-8 record. These close results, along with the previous back and forth history of competition, creates a high intensity matchup.

“[The energy] has been unlike anything else we have competed in this year,” said junior Sammie Pearsall. “This week in practice we’ve been concentrating on our motto for this year, which is ‘all in.’”

The Cyclones have been hitting the gym, with their focus set toward a high energy performance and perfecting the little details of each of their routines.

“We just unlocked our last phase on our board, which is opportunity,” Pearsall said. “We know how to do our routines. It’s just seizing opportunity you have, whether it’s in practice or in competition.”

After a long week of practices, Iowa State has a great opportunity to clinch this matchup against Iowa.

ISU gymnastics will be taking on the Hawkeyes in a head to head meet for the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk series in Iowa City at 7 p.m. Friday.