PRIMER: Iowa State at Cincinnati

Who: Iowa State (4-8-3, 1-7-1 Big 12) at Cincinnati (4-7-6, 2-5-2 Big 12)

Where: Gettler Stadium (1,400) – Cincinnati, Ohio

When: October 30 – 6:30 p.m. CT

Kicking Off
Iowa State will look to earn its second result in its last three matches as it heads to the Queen City as part of the second leg of a three-game road trip. The Cyclones will look to defeat Cincinnati for the first time in program history on Sunday.

Last time out, ISU dropped a tightly contested battle at No. 24 West Virginia, 1-0. The Cyclones had some great early looks get turned away before WVU scored the game-winner in the 22nd minute.

The Bearcats earned their third result in their last five outings on Thursday, defeating Oklahoma State 1-nil. Cincinnati is tied for the most draws in the conference (6) and has scored the fewest goals (12) of all 16 teams.

From the Notebook

ISU's Megan Walters has three goals scored this season, tied for the most by an ISU freshman since Hannah Cade in 2016.
The Cyclones scored four second-half goals against UNI on Sept. 11 – the most second-half goals by a Cyclone team since 2012 against South Dakota.
- ISU's back-to-back four-plus goal outings were the first since 1999.
ISU downed UND 4-0, scoring four or more goals in a contest for just the third time since 2013 and earning the first home win of the season.
Against Drake, Lucy Froitzheim netted an equalizer with 30 seconds left on the clock. Her goal was the latest game-tying score in program history.
ISU earned its 200th program win over Creighton on Aug. 21, downing the Bluejays 1-nil. Isabella Agrusso scored the game-winning goal in the 89th minute – the latest Cyclone goal since Courtney Powell against Kansas in 2020.
- Agrusso's game-winner, with 88:41 on the clock, was the eighth-latest game-winning goal (in regulation) in program history.
Iowa State's streak of three straight results to start the year was the longest since 2022. The Cyclones earned a result for the third consecutive season in both their season opener and road opener this season.
- Iowa State's three-game unbeaten streak to start the season was the longest stretch to start a year since 2013.
Ten Cyclones have registered points so far in 2025. ISU has now had at least ten point scorers in each of the last three seasons.
Iowa State was picked to finish 14th in the Big 12 preseason poll. Iowa State has outperformed its expected finish in each of the last two seasons.
With the Big 12 trimming the number of teams that make the Big 12 Championship (from 12 to eight), ISU has its work cut out for itself as it tries to punch a ticket to Texas. The Cyclones will aim to return to the Big 12 Championship for the first time since 2021.
Iowa State earned six draws (four in conference play) last season, setting a school record for most in a single season.

Leading the Cyclones
Iowa State's offensive attack is a balanced group, as three different Cyclones have a trio of scores on the year. Center back Ella Zimmerman, freshman Megan Walters and senior transfer Taylr Spitzer each have three goals, with both Spitzer and Walters tying for the team-high in points with seven.

Freshman forward Sophie Forrester is the only other Cyclone to have multiple scores to her name on the season. Ella Ciardullo and Isabella Agrusso are tied for a team-high two assists, while eight others have one. In total, nine Cyclones have goals and ten have assists.

Between the pipes, Kasey Cannistraro has started all 15 contests for the Cyclones while allowing 23 goals. Cannistraro has a pair of clean sheets and a combined shutout to her name, as she has tallied 64 saves this season.

Overall, the Cyclones have 18 goals this season and have allowed 23 scores. The team has 151 total shots, averaging 10.1 per contest, and places 45.7% of them on goal.

Opponent Outlook
The Bearcats have four athletes who've notched multiple goals on the season. Rylee Felton and Coley Sidloski are two of them, as each has two scores and two assists, as they're tied for the team lead in points with six.

Faith Broering and Maddie Swingle round out the team's multi-goal scorers, as both have a pair of goals. Claire Rea and Jada Arthurs are tied with Felton and Sidloski for the most assists by a Bearcat, each boasting two.

Camryn Miller has been Cincinnati's only keeper to see the field over the team's 17 contests. She holds a 1.18 goals-against average and has seven shutouts on the year to go along with 65 saves.

Overall, Cincinnati has 12 goals this season and has allowed 20 scores. The team has 171 total shots, averaging 10.1 per contest, and places 40.4% of them on goal.

Series History
Iowa State and Cincinnati will meet for the third time this weekend, as the Bearcats hold the all-time advantage, 1-0-1. ISU has met the Cincy just once prior in the Queen City, falling to the Bearcats 0-1 back in 2023.

Up Next
Iowa State will return to action next Thursday, Oct. 30, when it takes on K-State in Manhattan as part of the regular season finale. The Cyclones and Wildcats will kick off at 6:30 pm, and the game will be streamed live on ESPN+.

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Players Mentioned

Isabella Agrusso

Kasey Cannistraro

Ella Ciardullo

Sophie Forrester

Lucy Froitzheim

Megan Walters

Ella Zimmerman

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics