Let round two begin.

On September 14, 2008, the Cyclones faced off against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits. The result was a loss in the 107th minute, during double overtime, with a score of 2-1.

This time, when the two teams take the field Saturday at 7 p.m. in the ISU Soccer Complex, the outcome could be different.

Head coach Wendy Dillinger has a year of experience under her belt, and better yet, an arsenal of 11 freshmen on her roster this season. Four of those eleven freshmen made their career debuts last Friday against the Creighton Bluejays. Forward Jordan Wagner, one of the four freshmen, led the Cyclones in shots – five total.

Another freshman, Megan Long, recorded all 110 minutes of the Creighton game and played a crucial role in preserving the shutout as a defender for the Cyclones. Dillinger will use her and the other freshmen to implement a game plan Jackrabbits haven’t seen before.

Goalkeeper Ann Gleason is another threat the Cyclones bring to the table. While the senior keeper will be a familiar player to the Jackrabbits, Gleason has vastly improved his game since the last time the teams met. Gleason was recently named to the Preseason All-Big 12 team. She is also in a three-way tie for winningest goal keeper in ISU soccer history. This Friday is her chance to break the record.

The Cyclones also have the home-field advantage, unlike last year, although the ISU Soccer Complex may not provide much of an advantage. In the 13 home openers the Cyclones have had, Iowa State is 6-6-1.

Friday will provide Dillinger with a better perspective of where the team is headed and how the team has meshed so far. Although she had the opportunity to see them in action last week, it was only the first game. The upcoming match is a chance for her to see how the team reacted to its tie against Creighton.

This weekend will also provide Dillinger the opportunity to gauge the endurance of the team, as the Cyclones face Montana on Sunday at 1 p.m.

Much like the Cyclones, Montana has a number of freshmen on the roster. The Grizzlies lost a few of their starters from last season.

Sunday’s game will give both head coaches a good look at the future of the teams.

The Cyclones and the Grizzlies have met on the soccer field once before in the history of the program, September 17, 2007. The Cyclones were victorious in that game, winning 1-0. With the Grizzlies’ experience on both offense and defense, and the uncertainty surrounding Wendy Dillinger’s freshmen class, the Grizzlies could be a formidable opponent for the Cyclones.