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Iowa State University Athletics
Thursday, August 15
Ames, Iowa
6 p.m.
Iowa State
vs
Western Illinois
Iowa State vs. Western Illinois Primer
08.14.2024 | Soccer
Who:Â Iowa State (0-0, 0-0 Big 12) vs. Western Illinois (0-0, 0-0 OVC)
Where: Cyclone Sports Complex – Ames, Iowa
When: August 15 – 6 p.m.
Kicking Off
The 2024-25 Iowa State sports calendar officially gets underway this Thursday as the Cyclones kick off their soccer season against the Western Illinois Leathernecks. The game begins at 6 p.m., will be free to attend and will be streamed live on ESPN+.
ISU will look to win its season-opener for the second straight season, as the Cyclones downed then-Pac-12 member Arizona 2-1 on opening day last year. The Cyclones will again look to begin the season strong, as the team started 2-0 in 2023.
The Leathernecks enter 2024 following a 3-8-5 record in 2023. WIU went 2-4-1 in its 2023 non-conference slate and has started the 2024 season with three exhibitions. The team went 0-2-1 against Chicago State, Northern Illinois and St. Ambrose.
From the Notebook
- ISU lost 15 of its 19 goals from a year ago. Only six players have scored goals in a Cyclone uniform on this year's roster.
- Iowa State won its most games (6) in 2023 since 2016 as well as its most conference games (3) since 2016.
- The Cyclones said goodbye to eight seniors over the summer, including program legend Mira Emma. Seven newcomers (five transfers and two freshmen) will look to help supplement last year's losses from the roster.
- Iowa State's 12 regular season home games are tied for the most in a single season in school history. The only other time ISU had 12 home games (1997), the team went 9-3.
Leading the Cyclones
The Cyclones return their top-three minutes-played athletes from last season in goalkeeper Avery Gillahan and defenders Chloe Broughton and Olivia Edwards. Midfielders Lauren Hernandez and Sophia Thomas each started double-digit contests for ISU last season and also return to the fold.
Thomas, Hernandez, and Edwards each had a goal for ISU last season, as well as Leia Khairy, who is back for her senior season. Last year's leading goal-scorer (Salomé Prat) and leading assister (Mira Emma) each graduated.
The Cyclones welcomed a five-person transfer class this offseason, bringing in a pair of defenders and midfielders as well as one forward. Yira Yoggerst and Morgan Furmaniak both come to Ames from Weber State and will have one year remaining with the Cyclones. Furmaniak is the only current Cyclone with a multi-goal game to her name.
Also joining the Cyclones are Vanderbilt transfer Ella Zimmerman, Michigan Tech transfer Seulgi Lee and Indiana State transfer Adelaide Wolfe. Joining the group of newcomers are freshmen Makenna Marshall and Laurence Leblanc.
Goalkeeper Avery Gillahan looks to build upon her solid rookie campaign, as she was tasked last season with filling the lofty shoes of Jordan Silkowitz.
Opponent Outlook
Western Illinois will open its 2024 season playing against the only Power 4 opponent in their schedule in the Cyclones. WIU looks to improve on its three wins from a year ago as the team returns 23 players under second-year coach Josèe Primeau.
Senior midfielder Kayla Turner enters her fourth season at WIU, looking to turn her top-bench performer role into a starting gig. Sydney Sagal, a fellow midfielder, is back for her fifth season after starting every game last year.
In the net, three-time OVC Goalkeeper of the Week and fifth-year keeper Isabel Navas Rodriguez returns for the Leathernecks. Rodriguez tallied her lowest goals-against average last season, holding opponents to just 1.20 goals per game with five shutouts.
Series History
ISU and Western Illinois will meet for the first time since 2013, as the Cyclones hold the all-time series edge, 3-1-0. Iowa State has won two straight over the Leathernecks and averages roughly 3.3 goals per game against WIU. Coach Fannon and the Cyclones are 1-0 against the OVC in the past four years, earning a win over SIUE in 2021.
Up Next
Iowa State will be back in action this Sunday, Aug. 18, when it welcomes Creighton to the Cyclone Soccer Complex. Sunday's game is scheduled to kick off at 6 p.m. and will be streamed live on ESPN+.
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