Iowa State vs. Creighton Primer

Who: Iowa State (1-0, 0-0 Big 12) vs. Creighton (0-1, 0-0 BIG EAST)

Where: Cyclone Sports Complex – Ames, Iowa

When: August 18 – 6 p.m.

Kicking Off
Following a 3-0 season-opening victory over Western Illinois, Iowa State looks to move to 2-0 for just the third time in the last ten seasons as it hosts Creighton in a Sunday evening showdown. Sunday's match beings at 6 p.m., is free to attend, and will be streamed live on ESPN+.

After coming into the season with questions regarding how to replace lost production from 2023, the Cyclones answered with three goals from three different athletes as they claimed a balanced victory. Head coach Matt Fannon will look to win his 100th career game as a collegiate head coach on Sunday against his good friend, Jimmy Walker.

Walker and his Bluejays enter Sunday's competition 0-1 after beginning the season in Minneapolis, falling to the Golden Gophers, 1-2. Though its early in the season, Creighton and ISU will have a common opponent in Minnesota, as the Cyclones faced off against UMN in an exhibition contest.

From the Notebook

The big question coming into the year was scoring production, as the team lost 15 of its 19 goals from a year ago. In the first game, three players all notched goals who didn't have any in 2023.
Iowa State won its most games (6) in 2023 since 2016 as well as its most conference games (3) since 2016.
The Cyclones scored three goals in a game for the first time since 2022 in the season opener. The team also had over 21 shots for the first time since 2021.
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
Three Cyclones played the full 90 in the season opener, as Avery Gillahan, Chloe Broughton and Regan John never left the pitch. Gillahan tallied her first shutout of the season and fourth of her career, while Broughton netted her first career goal.

Joining Broughton in the scoring column were Magdalena Keck and Weber State transfer Morgan Furmaniak. Keck's score was her first since 2021, while Furmaniak's was her first since 2022. Furmaniak's fellow Weber State transfer, Yira Yoggerst, was the lone ISU athlete to tally an assist in the opener.

Furmaniak led the team with seven shots (four on goal), while Keck, Kohn and Hannah Shaw each had three. For Furmaniak, her seven shots were a career high. Every Cyclone newcomer saw the field in the opener.

Opponent Outlook
Creighton will close out its opening weekend by facing its second straight Power 4 opponent. Senior Azumi Manriki scored Creighton's first goal of the season with a banger from 25-yards out, while junior goalkeeper Alyssa Zalac collected a career-high six saves in the loss.

The Bluejays bring back 15 letterwinners from a season ago, led by preseason All-BIG EAST selection Manriki, and fifth-year senior Lara Kazandjian.

Other threats to look out for are sophomore Anja Jestrovic and fifth-year seniors Ariana Mondiri and Stella Downing. Jestrovic contributed a team-high tying three goals and two assists in eight games a season ago. Defensively, fifth-year senior Maddie Radke and senior Alyssa Judkins will anchor the Bluejays backline

Series History
Iowa State leads the all-time series against Creighton, 7-1-2, and is unbeaten at home against the Bluejays. Fannon has coached against Creighton twice previously, owning both a win and a draw. Last year snapped a four-year meeting streak between the two squads (the two played an exhibition in 2020).

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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Players Mentioned

Chloe Broughton

Mira Emma

Morgan Furmaniak

Avery Gillahan

Regan John

Magdalena Keck

Hannah Shaw

Yira Yoggerst

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics