AMES, Iowa – The Cyclone soccer program is set to open Big 12 play against Oklahoma State on Thursday as part of its 10-game conference schedule. Thursday’s match is set to kick off at 5 p.m. and will be streamed on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.

ISU (3-4-1) is looking to bounce back after dropping its last contest to Kentucky on Senior Day this past Sunday. Oklahoma State (6-2) is wrapping a three-game road stretch, which has so far seen the Cowgirls go 1-1.

Iowa State’s four losses have come to opponents who have combined to go 24-2-2 through the early part of the season. ISU will look to win its first Big 12 conference opener since 2016 when it bested OSU 1-0.

The Matchup: Iowa State (3-4-1) vs. Oklahoma State (6-2)
Where: Cyclone Soccer Complex // Ames, Iowa
When: September 14 – 5 p.m. CT
Watch: Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Live Stats: cyclones.com

Leading the Cyclones
Iowa State enters Thursday’s contest after being shut out by Kentucky. It was the first time all season the Cyclones were unable to score.

Mira Emma leads all Cyclones in goals (4), points (9), shots on goal (11) and shots (16) and is tied for the team-lead in assists (1). The fifth-year senior captain notched her second career brace in the team’s last road outing against Portland State.

Fellow seniors Salomé Prat and Abigail Miller also have more than one score on the year, as each has two. Both Kristin Boos and Lauren Hernandez each have one goal to round out the Cyclone scorers. 

Goalkeeper Avery Gillahan is the lone Cyclone to have played all 720 possible minutes this season, with Chloe Broughton having played just two minutes less at 718. Gillahan recorded her second career shutout against Portland State.

Scouting Oklahoma State
Both Cowgirl losses have come on the road, as OSU has dropped a pair to Missouri State and SMU through eight contests.

Oklahoma State ranks 11th nationally with 25 goals, outscoring its opponents by a staggering 20 goals (25-5). OSU has three matches this season where it scored 4+ goals, including one match where it hung eight on the scoreboard. The Cowgirls average 21 shots per game, which is fifth in the country, as well as 7.75 corner kicks, which is the 12th most nationally.

Oklahoma State’s Hannah Chance leads the team in goals with seven, the fifth most in the conference. Outside of Chance, six other Cowgirls have multiple goals to their names. Logan Heausler and Alex Morris are tied for the team lead in assists, as each has four through eight matches.

Grace Gordon has gotten the majority of the work in the net for the Cowgirls, having started seven of the eight contests. The lone other starter, Ary Purifoy, has appeared in four matches and has seven saves.

From the Notebook 

• The Cyclones have lost just one match under Coach Fannon when scoring at least two goals. Two seems to be the magic number for the offense.
• Iowa State leads the Big 12 in shot accuracy, placing 59% of its attempts on goal. That’s good enough for the 14th-highest ranking in the country.
• Two Big 12 programs are ranked in the Coaches Poll this week, as BYU is No. 1 in the country and Texas is ranked 16th.
• Mira Emma recorded her 11th career assist in the season-opener, pushing her into the ISU top 10 all-time. Emma also moved into a tie for seventh-most goals in a Cyclone uniform, scoring her 14 and 15th against Portland State.
  • Emma ranks top ten in ISU history in points, goals, game-winning goals and assists.
• After program legend Jordan Silkowitz was drafted into the NWSL, a new face took the net for the Cyclones this past week, as Avery Gillahan handled goalkeeping responsibilities. Through eight matches, Gillahan has a pair of shutouts and 19 saves.
  • Gillahan earned Big 12 Freshman of the Week honors on August 23rd for her performances during the first week of the season.

Series History
Iowa State and Oklahoma State will meet for the 27th time on Thursday, as the Cowgirls hold a 14-10-2 series advantage. The Cyclones are 7-5-1 against OSU at home but have dropped four of the last five home contests to the Cowgirls. 

Up Next
After opening the Big 12 slate at home, Iowa State will have its first idle day of the season as the Cyclones don’t play on Sunday. ISU will return to action next week when it embarks on a two-game road trip, beginning with a match at West Virginia on Thursday, September 21. Next Thursday’s match is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. and will be streamed on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.