The Cyclones’ stingy defense paved the way to their first conference win of the season on Sunday. 

Road team Kansas and Iowa State buckled down defensively in the first half, with neither team to be able to get any sort of offense going.

Urgency was the focus for the Cyclones from the start of the game and has been something they have struggled with this season.

“Our whole idea was urgency for 90 minutes and we wanted to pressure hard all over the field, so we wanted the offense to know that we wanted them to pressure and we’ll be right behind them pressuring, so I think that they felt a little more comfortable with that idea and were able to take chances,” said junior defender and co-captain Mary Kate McLaughlin.

In the 32nd minute, Kansas created its best opportunity to net a goal when McLaughlin received a yellow card which set up the free kick. Jayhawk sophomore forward Whitney Berry played the free kick, but freshman keeper Maddie Jobe made the diving save, her only one of the game.

“We recognized early that Whitney Berry is a very, very strong offensive force and is tagged as one of their best players so we decided to man-mark her. Emily Hejlik took her for a while, Jordan Bishop took her for a while, and then we just man-marked through the midfield,” McLaughlin said.

The Cyclone defense held Kansas to just two shots in the first 45 minutes, one of which being on goal, and this defensive pressure helped keep the Jayhawks out of the net.

“Coming from the defense, we just stepped everyone up a lot and every time they got the ball we were on them right away, and it helped to keep the game moving and we had lots of energy,” said freshman midfielder Caitlin Graboski.

Iowa State registered four shots in the first half and two on goal, as well as a pair of corner kicks from redshirt sophomore forward Amanda Cacciatore.

In the 39th minute, junior co-captain defender Emily Hejlik left with a foot injury and did not return to the game, but her absence did not prove to be costly.

“When Emily Hejlik got hurt, we just shifted Jordan Back and had her mark [Berry], who is their most dangerous player,” said ISU coach Wendy Dillinger.

At halftime, Dillinger hoped to help the team ignite its offense and get going on the offensive end.

“She said to keep pressuring, and up top we needed to keep attacking and get up the field and just get a goal. Basically put everything you can to get a body on the goal,” Graboski said.

To start the second half, Dillinger decided to make a switch and put senior keeper Ashley Costanzo in net for the second half. It was the first time she has received substantial playing time since her injury in Montana on Aug. 27.

“She did well this week in practice, and we wanted to give her to opportunity to get in the net in the game and see how it was going to go,” Dillinger said.

Iowa State’s defensive pressure seemed to open up the offense in the second half.

“The defense played great and didn’t let anything back there. They helped us serve balls and start the attack a lot of times, and I think that’s what helped with the game,” said freshman forward Jennifer Dominguez.

After a pair of corner kicks from freshman forward Brittany Morgan early on as well as a shot from freshman midfielder Emily Goldstein that sailed high, the Cyclones finally were able to find the net.

Kansas keeper Kat Liebetrau came out to field a ball and when she went to kick it, the ball came off the side of her foot and Dominguez capitalized by passing it to freshman defender Jessica Stewart for the goal, her first on the season.

Ten minutes later, Dominguez was back in on the offensive action and took a shot, but Goldstein flicked it inside the top left corner of the net for the 2-0 lead.

The goal was Goldstein’s third on the year and Dominguez got the assist, her second of the game and season as well.

“I think it went in kind of as a shot and … I just know I had an open look and luckily Emily was there to put it in,” said Dominguez.

Dominguez hadn’t been able to spark energy into points this season, via assist or goal, but Dillinger has always had confidence in her.

“She’s just a feisty, hard-working competitor who’s got some skill and ability around the goal. She hasn’t scored yet this year but we’re waiting for her to get on the board and she’s created some good chances,” Dillinger said earlier this season.

Dominguez hopes finally getting in on the scoring action will help her notch more goals and assists from now on.

“It’s definitely something I needed and it was a great game. My teammates were there, we played so great with so much urgency and confidence this game, and it really helped,” Dominguez said.

Physicality has been another thing the Cyclones have worked on in practice the past couple weeks, and it showed Sunday as they had 13 fouls to Kansas’s two.

“Got to play physical and you’ve got to dominate physically,” Dillinger said.

“Overall, Meg Long did a great job with that and set the tone in that regard. You have to play a physical game, and [the referee] called some fouls and didn’t call others.”

The Cyclones kept the Jayhawks out of the net for the remainder of the game to preserve the shutout. Costanzo registered one save and got her first win of the season.

Whether or not Costanzo will start next Friday night’s home game against Oklahoma is still undecided.

“It’s still going to depend on how it goes at practice, but she did well today so hopefully she is going to get stronger and stronger as we go,” Dillinger said.