With a full season of net minding under her belt, sophomore goalkeeper Ann Gleason looked sharp in the soccer team’s first exhibition game, recording a 2-0 shutout victory Saturday over Creighton at the ISU Soccer Complex.

Coach Rebecca Hornbacher said what she saw from Gleason in the first exhibition shutout was both confidence and inspiration to improve on a 6-14 record as a freshman last year.

“Overall, I think she is commanding the box very well,” Hornbacher said. “When things were not so clean in the box, Ann was really getting on players and trying to make sure that she kept things organized, and that’s what we need to see from her. We need to see her take charge, and she’s doing that much more this year than last year.”

Coming off a season in which she led the Big 12 in saves with 119, a single-season ISU record, Gleason played in goal for the W-League’s Minnesota Lightning this summer. She said she feels more confident in her skills this year than last.

“After playing this summer and getting a lot of good practice in and a lot of good games with that team, I feel a lot more confident,” Gleason said. “The thing that I really wanted to improve on was my communication and I feel like that’s a lot better this year and my distribution I feel has gotten better.”

However, this season she is joined by freshman goalie Ashley Costanzo, a two-time All-State and 2006 All-Conference nominee who led West Des Moines Valley to back-to-back state championships in 2005 and 2006.

Gleason said she enjoys having the opportunity to work with Costanzo and definitely sees potential in the young goalkeeper.

“I think she’s great. She’s very athletic and it’s great to have somebody to work with. You push each other; you work really hard and it’s a good time. Coach pushes us real hard so each day we’re out there getting better,” Gleason said.

When asked who fans will see in the net when the regular season gets underway, Hornbacher said she won’t know until game day.

“That decision won’t be made until Sept. 2, but right now Ann is really sharp. She has had more experience playing with this speed of play than Ashley has,” Hornbacher said.

“Ashley played for a great high school team, but it’s no comparison to playing at the collegiate level. She’s doing a great job right now; she’s extremely athletic, but right now Ann is playing very, very well and Ann is looking to be the starter.”

Gleason will have the opportunity to solidify her role as the team’s starting goalie when the Cyclones travel to Des Moines to take on the Drake Bulldogs on Saturday at Drake Stadium in Des Moines. Game time is 4 p.m.

The Drake game will be the team’s second and final tune-up before kicking off the regular season by hosting Oakland on Sept. 2.

What: Cyclones at Drake Bulldogs (exhibition)

When: 4 p.m. Saturday

Where: Drake Stadium, Des Moines

Gleason’s overall stats in 2006

Games: 20

Minutes: 1,856

Goals against: 52

Saves: 119

Save percentage: .696

Record: 6-14

Shutouts: 3

Gleason’s Big 12 stats in 2006

Shutouts: 1

Big 12 rank: T-8th

Saves: 68

Big 12 rank: 1st

Saves per game: 6.8

Big 12 rank: 1st