SOCCER: Cyclones earn first win of season

Iowa States Mary Kate McLaughlin holds up midfielder Casey Bothwell while celebrating with teammates after scoring during the match against Montana at the ISU Soccer Complex on Sunday, August 30, 2009. The Cyclones won 2-0. Photo: Shing Kai Chan/Iowa State Daily

Shing Kai Chan

Iowa State’s Mary Kate McLaughlin holds up midfielder Casey Bothwell while celebrating with teammates after scoring during the match against Montana at the ISU Soccer Complex on Sunday, August 30, 2009. The Cyclones won 2-0. Photo: Shing Kai Chan/Iowa State Daily

Austin Thomas

After 200 long, grueling, and hard-fought minutes of soccer this weekend, the Iowa State women’s soccer team walks away with a win and a tie.

Friday night, the Cyclones played host to the South Dakota State Jackrabbits.

For 85 of the 90 regulation minutes, the Cyclones held a one goal lead thanks to junior forward Jordan Bishop who scored the goal, and Casey Bothwell who dished in the assist.

However, in the 86th minute the Jackrabbits evened the score.

For the second consecutive game the Cyclones played overtime.

After the first overtime ended with a deadlock, they moved into double overtime. After the double overtime ended with a score of 1-1, the Cyclones tied their second consecutive game.

Montana was the opponent Sunday, a team that players said they had a legitimate chance of beating.

After a scoreless first half, freshman Amanda Woelfel found fellow freshman Jordan Wagner for a goal in the 47th minute, giving the Cyclones a 1-0 edge.

The Cyclones had just been in this situation Friday, being up a goal and seemingly taking the pressure off. However, that was not the case Sunday.

The forwards kept the offensive pressure up and thanks to greatplay by goal keeper Ann Gleason, the defense held the shutout.

In the 81st minute, Bishop returned the favor to Bothwell from Friday night, setting Bothwell up with the game-clinching goal.

Head coach Wendy Dillinger was impressed with her team, but what she really stressed was the importance of the win.

“We tied the last two and worked really hard. I think, especially this game, being the third game of the season, it does a lot for confidence and for energy.” Dillinger said.

Dillinger also talked very highly of her defense. The defense has given up one goal in a total of 310 minutes thanks to the play of Gleason and her teammates around her, such as freshman Megan Long who has started and played all three games and continued to be a defensive force in Sunday’s game.

The crowd of 353 on Sunday got to see Iowa State records broken.

Gleason became the winningest goal keeper in Iowa State’s soccer history with the win against Montana Sunday, and afterwards she could thank only her team.

“I can’t get that win without the team. The most it could ever be is 0-0, they did a lot of the work out there today to get that win,” said Gleason.

Gleason was in a three way tie on top of the list with 20 wins.

Dillinger also said that the team is a lot more fit this year compared to last year, allowing them to play at a higher level more consistently.

“I think we’re able to keep a high level of play throughout an entire game,” Dillinger said. “Not only mentally but physically.”