AMES — The Iowa State soccer team will face the University of Central Florida (UCF) for the first time Thursday at the Cyclone Sports Complex. The Cyclones’ 3-0 defeat by Iowa on Sunday was mainly due to the Hawkeyes’ continuous control of the ball throughout the game.

By coming in strong for the first half, Iowa was able to give Iowa State limited opportunities to gain possession and outshoot them 21-0. Although the Cyclones had a better second half, they spent more time chasing the ball and were not able to secure a win.

“The first half was pretty ugly, let’s be honest,” Cyclones head coach Matt Fannon said. “But after that, we came back fighting, which is something I am really proud of. It would have been very easy to roll over and die in that game but we went out and got it.”

Iowa State had a tough match Sunday, but the Cyclones secured their Big 12 opener win Thursday against Kansas. 

During the game against the Jayhawks, Iowa State was able to remain focused and dominate Kansas defensively. By having four saves on goal and only having four shots on goal compared to the Jayhawks eight, the Cyclones were able to pull through their first Big 12-opener win since 2016. Iowa State hopes to use their 1-0 win against Kansas to their advantage. 

“It’s such a huge deal to be on the front foot in the conference, especially one that was on the road,” Fannon said. “So to know that we are already a step ahead is such a great space for us to be. The women know that we have the capability to win these games and to know that and have proof is all the motivation these women need.”

However, the Cyclones are not the only team with a Big 12-opener win, as UCF will enter the matchup after a 5-0 win against Houston. This win marks their second shutout of the season and their second 5-0 goal performance of the season. 

“UCF is brilliant in attacking transition,” Fannon said. “So it will come down to can we handle the moments and handle the transition well enough that we can stop their big players, doing big things.”

Iowa State will be playing UCF for the first time ever and on home ground. The Knights will enter with a 3-1-2 overall record, whereas the Cyclones have a 3-4-2 record.

The matchup between Iowa State and UCF will be at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Cyclone Sports Complex. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+.