Soccer welcomes changes in Big 12, new recruits

Sophomore+forward+Jennifer+Dominguez+takes+a+corner+kick+against%0ATexas+Tech+on+Friday%2C+Oct.+21%2C+at+the+ISU+Soccer+Complex.+Dominguez%0Ascored+the+only+goal+of+the+game+in+the+second+overtime+period+to%0Agive+the+Cyclones+the+win.+She+is+the+teams+leading+scorer+with%0Afive+goals+on+the+year.%0A

Iowa State Daily

Sophomore forward Jennifer Dominguez takes a corner kick against Texas Tech on Friday, Oct. 21, at the ISU Soccer Complex. Dominguez scored the only goal of the game in the second overtime period to give the Cyclones the win. She is the team’s leading scorer with five goals on the year.

Cory Weaver

For Cyclone fans who do not want to spend the big bucks to see the football or basketball teams play, the ISU soccer team is a cheap alternative.

Coach Wendy Dillinger enters her fifth season at the helm, and with new assistant coach Tony Minatta, the team prepares for another season but with a new home.

The Cyclones have played their previous seasons at the ISU Soccer Complex behind the Lied Recreation Athletic Center. This August, Dillinger and company move to the Cyclone Sports Complex outside the Wallace and Wilson residence halls.

Missouri and Texas A&M left the conference during the realignment this past year, but Texas Christian and West Virginia bring in new competition that will give the Big 12 soccer scene a new look.

The ISU team returns four of its top-five scorers from 2011, including former walk-on Jennifer Dominguez. Dominguez finished with five goals last season, with Brittany Morgan and Kaeli Flaska each finishing with four.

Iowa State returns all of its players with the exception of four graduating seniors. Mary Kate McLaughlin and Emily Hejlik are two of those four and were four-year starters for the cardinal and gold.

All four graduating seniors leave holes in the roster that the younger players will need to fill.

McLaughlin is one who always made her presence known on the field and her aggressive style of play will be missed. However, with a 25-player roster, Dillinger said she has someone in mind who might be able to fill the void.

“Ashley Johnson is the player we recruited to replace Mary Kate, to fill her shoes,” Dillinger said after the team’s final game last season. “She’s got great size, good presence. She’s strong; she’s solid. She has all the tools to do that job so we’re going to spend the spring developing her and getting her ready to take over that role in the fall.”

Admission is free to the games and occasionally there are promotional freebies for those who attend.