The Iowa State women’s soccer team went 1-1 in Big 12 Conference play this weekend in their last home matches of the season.

18th ranked Missouri was ISU’s first task of the weekend, but proved to be one goal better in the end for the Cyclones.

The Tigers struck first in the first half when Erin Grimsley scored on an assist from Nikki Thole.

Despite constant pressure by ISU in the late part of the second half and close shots by juniors Kristina Odenwald and Ali Sullivan, ISU couldn’t get on the board. Grimsley’s goal was the only score of the half for either team as Missouri took a 1-0 lead into the second half.

The teams started to get a bit sloppy when the second half resembled more of a rugby game at times with twenty nine fouls and four yellow cards.

Both Iowa State and Missouri had trouble passing the ball around, especially near the box.

With twenty eight minutes left in the second half, Janelle Beil started a scoring barrage by both teams when she connected on a rocket shop from the top of the penalty box.

That made the score 1-1, but just five short minutes later Missouri would again take the lead on a somewhat controversial handball called on ISU.

Kristin Boeker put the penalty shot by goalkeeper Lynley Hilligoss to give Missouri a 2-1 lead.

“It wasn’t intentional; it’s not like she [Lindsey Rector] reached out and slapped it down or anything,” Hilligoss said of the call. “I was surprised when I heard the call, but there’s nothing you can do to change it.”

Beil scored her second goal of the game and ninth on the season with twelve minutes left in the game.

Odenwald and Sullivan were credited with the assist on the play and Iowa State was back in the game.

“With Ali going up with the goalie, I knew that it was going past her [Missouri keeper, Jackie Adamec] because Ali distracted her to the point where I knew she wasn’t going to get the ball. I just went up for it and hoped it was going to go in,” Beil said of her second goal.

Just two minutes later Missouri put the nail in ISU’s coffin with consecutive goals in the 60th and 61st minute.

The Cyclones attempted a comeback when Erica Florez scored her eleventh goal of the season, but ISU again fell just short, losing 4-3.

Iowa State again won the battle of shots, 18-10, but like last week’s game against Colorado, were not able to convert.

“It was a supreme effort; we all put it together. We have been working hard all week, and we wanted to come off the Colorado loss and put it all together for a win,” Hilligoss said of the Cyclone loss. “We came out here and played as hard as we could for ninety minutes and then some, and that’s all we could do.”

The loss dropped ISU to 2-4 in the Big 12 Conference and 9-5 overall.

After that setback, the €yclones had to recover quickly in order to face the Kansas Jayhawks on Sunday.

And recover they did, earning a 2-0 victory over Kansas largley on the strength of two goals scored within a period of 1:11 at the end of the first period.

The goals were scored first by Krista Odenwald, who blasted a shot in from the left side of the field, giving the Cyclones a 1-0 lead in the 40th minute of the half.

Beil then added to the lead with a goal on a pass from senior Kristina VanDoorn.

The second half was dominated by the Cyclones, as they outshot the Jayhawks 12-2 in the second half.

Despite all those shots, ISU’s total remained at two, while goalkeeper Hayley Mercer played the full 90 minutes and made four saves en route to her first complete game of the season.

ISU will be in action this weekend, as they travel to Stillwater on Friday night to take on the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

On Sunday they will stay in Oklahoma to take on the Sooners.