The game plan for the ISU soccer team against Texas A&M on Friday night was to play defensive-minded and wait to counter attack.

They did just that.

The strategy kept the game close the entire game until five minutes into overtime when the Aggies caught a break. Despite the 1-0 defeat, the Cyclones were far from upset with how they played.

“It was a team effort and all I can say is I’m proud of everyone,” said junior Mary Kate McLaughlin. “And we should be happy looking forward to the rest of our schedule knowing that we can play like this with this team.”

Coach Wendy Dillinger said earlier this season that the team’s effort for 90 minutes, regardless of score, would create its confidence and momentum. This was evident with her comments after Friday’s close loss.

“Awesome,” Dillinger said about how the team played.

“This was our game plan, we had to defend and counter knowing who we were playing against and they executed it to the T. We had chances to put it away and [if] we sneak one of those in, the game’s over.”

Texas A&M put together a few goal-scoring opportunities in the first half with a few shots that missed high and an early corner kick by senior midfielder Rachel Shipley, but none could find the net.

The Aggies out-shot Iowa State 10-4 in the half, but the ISU defense continued its defensive approach and kept A&M out of the net for a 0-0 tie at halftime.

“We had nothing to lose really, to tell you the truth. We were out here at 5:45 in the morning two days this week running,” said freshman keeper Maddie Jobe. “We had three practices a day for two days and we worked our butts off this whole week and there was nothing to lose.”

In the second half, the Cyclones were able to produce some counter-attacking offense.

After a few shots by the Aggies, one of which saved by Jobe, ISU freshman forward Brittany Morgan had a pair of corner kicks. Fellow freshman forward Jennifer Dominguez fielded one of them, turned, and shot, but missed wide on the goal opportunity.

Freshman midfielder Caitlin Graboski also picked up a loose ball later on, but her shot missed high.

The Aggies out-shot Iowa State just 8-7 in the second half, and after 90 minutes of play the score remained 0-0. 

In the fifth minute of overtime, the ball bounced around in front of the ISU net, but the Cyclones managed to clear it out to prevent the goal.

To the Cyclones’ dismay, Texas A&M came right back a minute later and forward Whitney Hooper passed the ball to forward Merritt Mathias, who put in the game-winner for the Aggies.

“Iowa State came out and were man-marking, which is a little bit tough,” Mathias said. “But once you start getting in a rhythm [and] start doing things, we kept with it and we were able to break them down.”

Dillinger did not blame her defense for the overtime goal allowed.

“They got a lucky bounce, unlucky for us,” Dillinger said. “Emily Hejlik went to clear it, it hit their kid and ended up right at [Hooper’s] feet. And how many times do you go to clear a ball it deflects and it goes flying? It ends up at her feet, she plays it across, [Mathias] finishes it.”

Dillinger was very complimentary of Jobe’s performance in goal as well.

“I dove and I thought I was in the right position, and our defense was putting pressure on them like they did the whole game,” Jobe said about the game-winner. “And they got a shot off and sneaked one in.”

Jobe also added that the defensive success the team had helped her play well in net as well.

“We’ve kind of struggled all year sometimes, and tonight was good because we kind of sat back and just kind of got comfortable with each other again and can trust each other and that’s a big thing with the defense,” Jobe said.

Iowa State doesn’t return home again until an Oct. 29 date with Missouri.