Iowa State Falls to No. 15 Colorado in Close Big 12 Opener

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State went toe-to-toe with one of the Big 12’s heavyweights on Thursday night, but a single moment on the edge of the box separated heartache from a statement result.

No. 15 Colorado escaped with a 1-0 win in the conference opener, leaning on a first-half penalty from captain Reagan Kotschau to survive a bruising test from a Cyclone side that refused to back down.

Defense stands tall, until one whistle

From the opening whistle, Colorado came exactly as advertised: fast, direct, and relentless.

The Buffaloes fired off three efforts in the first 10 minutes, but Iowa State’s back line met each surge with blocks and pressure, forcing one shot wide and snuffing out the other two. The Cyclones absorbed the early storm and then started to punch back.

Midway through the first half, Morgan Goodman carved out a pair of chances, testing Colorado keeper Brooke Goerish with the first and sending the second off target. It was a brief shift in momentum, a reminder that Iowa State wasn’t just there to defend.

Colorado snapped right back. Four shots in a furious three-minute spell demanded the best of Cyclone goalkeeper Eme McClenahan, who answered with four saves in quick succession to keep the game level and the crowd engaged.

Then came the turning point.

With the clock just past 40 minutes, the ball broke into the Colorado attacking third again. A foul by Makenna Marshall on the edge of the box handed the Buffaloes a penalty. Kotschau stepped up, went low and precise, and slipped her effort just beyond McClenahan’s outstretched arm. One chance from 12 yards, one ruthless finish, and the ranked visitors carried a 1-0 lead into halftime.

By the break, Colorado held a 9-3 edge in shots and a 1-0 advantage in corners. Iowa State, though, had the highlight reel: four first-half saves from McClenahan, all in that breathless three-minute defensive stand.

Cyclones push late, crossbar denies equalizer

The second half turned into a grind. Iowa State chased, harried, and slowly worked its way up the pitch, hunting for a way past a Colorado defense that rarely broke shape.

Goodman, Cassidy Corcione and Izzy Kapanke each finished with two shots, carrying most of the attacking load for the Cyclones. All three put one effort on frame, forcing Goerish into action. Behind them, the engine room never shut off: Maia Soulis and Danica Lunceford went the full 90, matching the intensity of a Colorado side that thrives on tempo.

Colorado still carried the sharper edge going forward. Kotschau led all players with five shots, three on target, constantly asking questions of the Cyclone back line. 2025 Big 12 Forward of the Year Hope Leyba added three more attempts, one on goal, as the Buffaloes searched for a second that never came.

The game, though, refused to drift away. Iowa State kept it alive, and in the 85th minute, the upset bid nearly roared back to life.

Corcione unleashed a thunderous strike from outside the box, a rising drive that seemed destined for the top corner. Goerish got just enough on it, tipping the ball onto the crossbar. The rebound dropped invitingly to Sophie Forester in front of goal. For a split second, the stadium held its breath. Forester pulled her shot wide, and with it went Iowa State’s best chance to level.

The pressure had finally cracked Colorado’s composure. It just didn’t change the scoreboard.

Numbers tell a tight story

Colorado finished with a 13-8 advantage in shots and a 4-0 edge in corner kicks. Iowa State, leaning heavily on McClenahan’s six saves, ended with more stops than the Buffaloes’ three, but also more fouls, 14-11, in a match that never shied away from contact.

For the Cyclones, there were no goals, no points, and no upset. But against a top-15 opponent, they held the Big 12’s leading attack to a single penalty and came within inches – and a crossbar – of rewriting the script in the final minutes.

The question now is simple: if Iowa State can bring this level against a ranked Colorado side, what will it look like when the rest of the Big 12 comes calling?