The Des Moines Menace men’s team has been drawing crowds since its inaugural season 19 years ago. This season, the Menace unveiled its first women’s team to join Women’s League Soccer, and some current and former Cyclones are getting in on the action.

After Saturday’s 3-0 victory against the Cincy Lady Saints, nine of the team’s 17 goals this season have come off cardinal and gold feet. ISU defender Jessica Stewart is second on the team with two goals, and she said having the immediate success while playing with her ISU teammates has been a great experience.

“Just being able to play with each other but then also throw some other girls in the mix has been really good just to develop each of us individually and then collectively as a team,” Stewart said. “To be able to step onto a semi-pro team and make an impact has been really encouraging.”

Playing for a semi-pro team has been a new experience for just about all the players on coach Kevin Schalk’s roster.

Former ISU captain Jordan Bishop is the only player on the team who has already graduated from college and isn’t new to the professional soccer scene. Last summer, Bishop played for the WPS Boston Breakers, and Stewart said her experience and poise has been helpful this season.

“She brings a lot of confidence and calm on the field, and a lot of times we get a little frantic when goals aren’t going in, and she’s good about taking a step back and saying, ‘Relax, it will come with time,'” Stewart said.

With the win Saturday, the team is 4-0 this season including a 4-0 win against FC Indiana in the season opener.

Just about all of the players come from the Midwest, with 15 going to Iowa colleges and universities. With just two weeks of camp before the team began its season, Schalk said familiarity between the players helped speed up the transition process.

“With a lot of them being familiar with each other, that speeds up that process just a little bit quicker,” Schalk said.

As a midfielder, Bishop gets to hook up on the offensive end with several teammates she played with at Iowa State.

Brittany Morgan, who leads the team with four goals, Jennifer Dominguez, Jessica Stewart and Emily Goldstein played with Bishop as freshmen in 2010, and Schalk said the connection works well.

“With Jordan Bishop feeding them from the middle, it’s a nice little combination,” he said. “Overall, they’ve done very well; they’re very coachable; they’re going to be great players, and I hope as we continue to win that it carries into the ISU season.”

Last season, Morgan netted four goals for Iowa State, which was second behind Dominguez, who put in five. In four games this summer, Morgan has matched her 2011 total, and Schalk said he loves the aggressive attitude.

In the team’s remaining four games, the Menace take on Indiana at home at Valley Stadium in Des Moines before heading on the road to face the Cincy Lady Saints. The season will end with a pair of matches against Fort Wayne SC.

It may be the first season of Menace women’s soccer, but Schalk believes it’s only the beginning. The head coach has high hopes for the history of the team and will give Cyclone soccer players a chance to play in the summer for years to come.

“I think in the long run, as I said this is building on success, and I want to have that same prestige as the men’s team,” Schalk said. “Nineteen years of tradition and winning games and eventually maybe winning a national title sometime.”

The Menace get their next chance to defend their undefeated record July 7 at Valley Stadium against the Indiana Invaders. The following week, the team plays its last home game against Ft. Wayne SC before hitting the road for its final two matches.

All games are at 4:30 p.m. at Valley Stadium. The men’s game follows at 7:30, and fans are encouraged to stay for the doubleheader.