Cyclones Open Season with Road Win Over Omaha

Wednesday, August 12

Omaha, Neb.

7:30 p.m.

Iowa State

1-0-0, 0-0-0

Omaha

0-1-0, 0-0-0

Team	1	2	Final F
Iowa St.	1	0	1
Omaha	0	0	0

Photo by: Omaha Athletics

Cyclones Open Season with Road Win Over Omaha

08.12.2026 | Soccer

Box Score Box Score (.pdf)

OMAHA, Neb. – For the fourth consecutive season, Iowa State (1-0, 0-0 Big 12) earned a result in the season opener, as it downed Omaha (0-1, 0-0 Summit) by a score of 1-0 on the road to open the 2026 campaign.

Neither side would record a shot in the first 20 minutes of action, before San Francisco transfer Danica Lunceford headed in a corner kick carom to put the Cyclones on top 1-0 midway through the first half. ISU kept applying pressure in the first, racking up six more shots and holding UNO to zero attempts in the period. Iowa State would ward off six Maverick attempts in the second, collecting one save, to earn a season-opening win.

Lunceford's header in the 23rd minute was the first of her collegiate career, as was the game-winning goal designation. Lunceford led all Cyclones with three shots, while both Regan John and Breezie Brewer had two apiece. Lunceford and Ohio transfer Maia Soulis were the lone Cyclone fielders to play the full 90 minutes. Eme McClenahan collected her second career clean sheet in her second collegiate match, netting a save.

Omaha spread six shots across six athletes, with only a pair coming on goal. Just one UNO fielder, Grace Bartlam, went the distance. In goal, former Cyclone Cadence Fagan pulled in three saves but took the loss in her first-ever college contest.

The Cyclones outshot Omaha on the evening, holding a 12-6 edge. ISU had four shots on goal to UNO's two and nine corners to the Mavs' three. Iowa State would finish with just one save while Omaha had three.

How it Happened
Perhaps attributed to it being the first contest of the season, neither side collected a shot for the first 20 minutes of game time. The first shot came from Lunceford in the 23rd minute, as she headed in a deflection off a corner kick to put ISU on top early, 1-0.

The Cyclones would rattle off three more shots in the next six minutes, but after the first two went off target, UNO's Fagan saved the third to keep the deficit at one.

The Cyclones had another offensive spurt, firing three shots in a nine-minute span only to see Fagan save a pair and the third go awry.

At the break, ISU held a 7-0 shot advantage as well as a 6-0 edge in corners. All three of Omaha's saves came in the first stanza.

Each side traded a pair of attempts to start the second half, with Omaha's offense starting to round into shape. UNO's best attempt, in the 68^th minute, was saved as ISU kept the Mavericks away as the teams hit the second-half hydration break.

Down to its final few minutes, Omaha rattled off three shots in the final three minutes but saw zero connect as ISU left Omaha with a 1-0 win to begin the year 1-0.

Fannon's Thoughts
"We were great tonight. It looked a lot like a first match of the season, but we controlled it well."

Goals
Iowa State: Danica Lunceford – 22:53 (1)
Omaha:

Assists
Iowa State: N/A
Omaha: N/A

Next Up
Iowa State will be back in action this Sunday, August 16, when they host Kansas City in the home opener at 6 p.m. Sunday night's game is Senior Night, as five Cyclones will be honored following the game. The contest will be streamed live on ESPN+. Attendance, as always, is FREE.