PRIMER: Iowa State vs. Kansas

Who: Iowa State (4-5-2, 1-4-0 Big 12) vs. Kansas (8-3-2, 2-3-0 Big 12)

Where: Cyclone Soccer Complex (1,500) – Ames, Iowa

When: October 10 – 6 p.m. CT

Kicking Off
After a two-game Texas road trip, Iowa State returns home for the start of a three-match home stand. The Cyclones are set to welcome last year's Big 12 Tournament champ, Kansas, to the Cyclone Soccer Complex on Friday evening.

The Cyclones will look to right the ship, as ISU has dropped its last four contests – all to teams currently ranked in the Top 25. Last time out, ISU avoided a shutout in Fort Worth, winning the second half over the then-No. 7 TCU Horned Frogs with a late header.

Kansas and ISU have played three of the same opponents over their last four contests, each suffering the same results. KU has dropped three of its last four with losses to Texas Tech, TCU and Baylor – again, all of whom are ranked in the Top 25.

Game Note: We ask those attending Friday night's contest to please wear gold, as it is our GOLD RULES game. As a reminder, admission to the Cyclone Soccer Complex is FREE.

From the Notebook

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 attack is led by center back Ella Zimmerman and midfielder Morgan Goodman, each of whom has three goals on the year to lead the team. Goodman leads the team with seven points, owning one assist.

Taylor Spitzer and Sophie Forrester are the only other Cyclones to have scored multiple (2) goals this season. Ella Ciardullo has a team-high two assists, while eight others have one. Overall, nine Cyclones have recorded goals and nine Cyclones have recorded assists.

Between the pipes, Kasey Cannistraro has started all 11 contests for the Cyclones while allowing 16 goals. Cannistraro has a pair of clean sheets and a combined shutout to her name, as she has tallied 42 saves this season.

Overall, the Cyclones have 15 goals this season and have allowed 16 scores. The team has 110 total shots, averaging 10 per contest, and places 48.2% of them on goal.

Opponent Outlook
The Jayhawk attack is led by the tandem of Lexi Watts (13) and Jillian Gregorski (11), who are the top two point-scorers on the team. Watts, a member of the Preseason All-Big 12 Team, has a team-high six goals, while Gregorski has five.

Joining the two as a double-digit point-scorer is Caroline Castans, who has ten. Castans has a team-best six assists to go along with a pair of goals. Castans ranks fourth in the conference in terms of total assists.

Sophie Dawe has started all 13 matches for the Jayhawks in net, owning a 1.29 goals-against average. She has three clean sheets and a combined shutout on the season as she has racked up 37 total saves.

Overall, Kansas has 27 goals this season and has allowed 17 scores. The team has 206 total shots, averaging 15.8 per contest, and places 46.1% of them on goal.

Series History
Kansas and Iowa State will be meeting for the 32nd time Friday evening, making KU the second-most played opponent in program history (behind Baylor). The Jayhawks hold the all-time advantage (20-8-3), but the Cyclones have won each of the last two contests.

Up Next
Iowa State will be back in action next Thursday, Oct. 16, when it hosts Houston. The Cyclones and Cougars will square off at 6 pm and there will be a live audio feed of the contest provided on cyclones.com.

Players Mentioned

Isabella Agrusso

Kasey Cannistraro

Ella Ciardullo

Sophie Forrester

Lucy Froitzheim

Morgan Goodman

Taylor Spitzer

Ella Zimmerman

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics