All the stars were aligned for a big game at the ISU Soccer Complex on Friday night.

It was the second-to-last home game under the lights for seniors, it was a must-win game for the Cyclones to stay tournament-eligible and for sophomore forward Jennifer Dominguez, it was against her hometown team.

Needless to say, Dominguez made her presence known.

The Lubbock, Texas, native, and the Cyclones took on Texas Tech on Friday night and had a medley of shots that just couldn’t find the back of the net, with most of them coming from Dominguez’s foot.

Dominguez and the Cyclones had several opportunities where the ball sneaked around the net or over the crossbar. However, the one that counted came in the second overtime to beat Texas Tech 1-0.

“I don’t think I had to [score the final goal],” Dominguez said. “But I definitely wanted to and I think it makes this victory a little more sweeter being from Lubbock. We just had to keep our heads up.”

The golden goal came in the second overtime, just minutes away from the match ending in a draw, which would have given Iowa State one point in the conference instead of three. But after her first chance failed, Dominguez capitalized for the winner.

“I think [Caitlin] Graboski served it in and it hit off of somebody and came right to me,” Dominguez said. “I played it in the first time and it kind of bounced back to me and then it came straight to my right foot, so I kind of let it rip.”

Had it not been for Dominguez sending an email to the coaching staff about trying out as a walk-on during her freshman year, she probably would have been watching Friday’s game from the stands. Coach Wendy Dillinger said she was more than happy Dominguez made the team.

“She is a great kid and she has been working her tail off for the last year and a half since she joined us, and she is so deserving of this, I couldn’t be happier for her,” Dillinger said.

“She’s been a great addition all the way around for us, so it’s very exciting to see her win the game over her hometown.”

The win could not have come at a better time for the Cyclones, who hadn’t won a conference game all season prior to the match.

“Every game we have in our season coming up is huge and this game was life or death for us,” said senior Mary Kate McLaughlin. “So it’s great to see a little bit of life, but we do have to stay focused.”

Iowa State has experienced games like this all season, but has been on the losing end. Dominguez said the win will really help as the final games approach.

“We just fall short time and time after again, and to be on the winning end of things is so much better,” Dominguez said. “It gives us a little bit of a brighter future and a little more confidence going into the rest of the Big 12 [games].”

Giving up those late goals is something that has happened several times this season for the Cyclones, but McLaughlin said the team made the adjustments needed to not have another ending like it had against Oklahoma State.

“Against OSU, in the last 30 seconds they scored and that’s a lack of discipline, so we had a lot of discipline tonight and just a phenomenal effort from everybody, a lot of organization,” McLaughlin said.

Despite all the missed shots and close calls throughout the first and second halves and even overtime, Dillinger said she had a feeling Dominguez would be the one to put away the final goal.

“After the second one that just barely sailed over the bar from the angle, I just told her to keep knocking, just keep knocking and it’s going to come, and it did,” Dillinger said.

The Cyclones face Kansas at the ISU Soccer Complex at 1 p.m. Sunday for the final home game of the season.

A win or a tie could keep their playoff hopes alive. Admission is free and seniors will also be honored prior to the match for senior day.