Missouri and Kansas gave junior goalkeeper Ann Gleason little time to rest as both teams pummeled her with a combined 53 shots in Friday’s 3-0 loss to Missouri and the 3-2 loss to Kansas on Sunday.

Gleason handled the pressure with relative ease, recording 20 saves, only 11 short of matching her season total.

Throughout both games, the opposing attackers met minimal resistance from the Cyclones defense, leaving Gleason on her own to stop the attacks.

“Ann does a great job, but we hang her out to dry too much,” said coach Wendy Dillinger. “There are too many times that she is facing an attacker who is 12 yards from the goal, without pressure.”

Gleason has been solid, regardless of the high number of shots she has faced, but the defense will need to work on offering her more support.

Dillinger said the key to strengthening the defense is improving on one-on-one match-ups with attackers.

“Especially when teams are getting in to the final 20 yards,” Dillinger said. “We have to do a better job of not letting them turn and shoot.”

Offensive struggles

During the Kansas match, Iowa State had multiple opportunities to put together an attack, but sloppy passing allowed the Jayhawk defenders to send the ball the other way.

“Our first touch isn’t the best,” Dillinger said. “If we don’t make a solid first touch to set up a successful pass we are going to struggle.”

Senior co-captain Lauren Fader said accurate passing has been a point stressed in practice all season.

“I think a lot of times we have the right idea where we’re going with the ball,” Fader said. “It’s just completing that and focusing that to get better.”

The Cyclones have a young squad, but Dillinger attributes the Cyclones’ struggles to lack of leadership, rather than inexperience.

“Our upperclassmen are just not stepping up and taking the lead and setting the way for the team,” Dillinger said.

Hejlik scores first goal

Freshman defender Emily Hejlik scored her first goal as a Cyclone on Sunday, knocking in Iowa State’s second goal, which spurred a late game rally against Jayhawks.

The West Des Moines native has positioned herself as a stalwart in the Cyclones lineup, starting every game this season.

“You can see she’s really starting to get anxious,” Dillinger said. “She’s getting forward and creating.”

Hejlik’s success has left Dillinger weighing the option of moving her up into a offensive position.

“I would love to move Emily up the field if I could, if I had another option in the back who is as solid and consistent as she is,” Dillinger said.

Lone Star State Awaits

Iowa State will travel to Texas this weekend for pair games against Baylor (4-5-1) and seventh-ranked Texas (7-0-2). The Cyclones are still searching for their first conference win, after 0-2 start to Big 12 play. Baylor is in a similar position, losing its first Big 12 game Sunday 1-0 against Texas A&M.