The ISU women’s soccer team was on a roller coaster ride all season long before concluding its 8-12 season with a 4-1 loss last week against Kansas in the Big 12 Conference tournament.

Despite missing out on the NCAA tournament, the coaching staff and players said the program is heading in the right direction.

Iowa State’s eight wins were the most since the 1999 season, when the team won 11.

“We took great strides with our soccer program this year,” said head coach Rebecca Hornbacher.

“We accomplished a lot of things that were very positive and really showed that we were very competitive — in and out of conference.”

After starting the season 1-4, the Cyclones found ways to win, putting together a 7-6 stretch before their tournament loss.

“This was a breakthrough season for the program,” said freshman goalie Joanna Haig. “Other teams really had to step back and give us respect.”

The Cyclone defense was led by Haig, who was named to the Big 12 All-Newcomer team.

Haig finished the season ranked second with 94 saves at 4.95 saves per game. She was also named Big 12 player of the week the week of Oct. 12.

“[Haig] just kept on getting better and better,” Hornbacher said. “She really stepped in and showed a lot of maturity in a position that has such pressure.”

The defense only allowed 29 goals this season, which is the fewest in team history.

Senior Kelly Burke said it was important that the Cyclones were competitive in almost every game they played this season. With the exception of 4-0 and 4-1 losses to Kansas, each conference game Iowa State lost was by only one goal.

“It was a serious team effort this year,” Burke said. “I really think that the teams this year in the Big 12 were not ready for us.”

The Cyclones capped off their regular season with a 6-1 win against instate rival Iowa, scoring four goals in the first half, the most scored in a first half for the Cyclones since 1997.

Burke scored the first goal just under two minutes into the contest.

“We went out there, and I told coach, ‘I’m going to score in the first five minutes,”’ Burke said. “That was the most exciting moment this year for me.”

With this season now in the books, the players are excited about the newcomers to the program and the effect they will have on ISU soccer.

“It seems like we have a pretty good recruiting class coming in for next year,” Haig said.

Hornbacher said there were many highlights this season, but the standout games were a 3-2 loss to Nebraska, a 2-1 overtime win over Baylor and the win against Iowa.

Even though the Cyclones lost to Nebraska, it can be argued that it was the turning point of the season.

Trailing 3-0 after one half, Iowa State rallied with two second-half goals and a penalty shot that deflected off the crossbar.

The Cyclones took momentum from the game and won their next four. The last time they won more than three games in a row was in the 1999 season.

“What was really exciting for me as a coach, was the beginning of when we started turning things around,” Hornbacher said.

“We showed a lot of character, integrity and blue-collar work ethic.”

Throughout the season, the Cyclones tried to prove to themselves that they could have a successful season.

“Overall, I think that we competed with the national powerhouses,” Hornbacher said.

“We know that we’re going in the right direction and that’s something very positive.”