The Iowa State women’s soccer team was both the host and winner of the Cyclone Classic soccer tournament over the weekend at the ISU complex.

The first test of the weekend for the Cyclones was the Broncos of Western Michigan.

Much of the first-half play was controlled by the Cyclones who were able to move the ball very well, thanks to excellent ball control by midfielders Katie Antongiovanni and Lindsey Rector.

Erika Florez put the Cyclones on the board in just the eleventh minute of the game on a hard shot that deflected off Western Michigan’s goalkeeper Jennifer Haller and into the net.

ISU proceeded to control the first half by constantly moving the ball into the open spaces and playing relentless defense.

Freshman defender Lauren Sims’ play was part of the solid defense displayed all day by the Cyclones.

Janelle Beil struck next for ISU, scoring on a pass from Erica Florez in the twenty-seventh minute of the game.

Beil nearly scored two more goals late in the first half but both just missed.

At half, the scoreboard showed ISU 2, Western Michigan 0.

It was more of the same for the Cyclones in the second half, as they continued to dominate the possession. In fact, Western Michigan was under a constant attack for much of the second half.

The Cyclones experienced a scare early in the second half, as senior defender Alicia Rollison went down with an injury. She would sit out the rest of the weekend with a foot injury but is expected to be back in action by this weekend.

With 27 minutes left in the half, midfielder Ali Sullivan provided the highlight of the game.

From around 10 feet outside of the penalty box, Sullivan drilled in a goal straight over keeper Jennifer Haller’s outstretched hands.

“It was within my range, and I got the opportunity to connect, so I took it,” Sullivan said of the shot.

Florez wasn’t done, though. She put in another goal with 11 minutes left in the game and the contest ended with the Cyclones picking up a 4-0 win.

Big 12 player of the week Lynley Hilligoss didn’t get to see much action in the goal box, facing only five shots all day.

The shutout was the sixth of her career.

The win against Western Michigan paved the way for a showdown in the championship game against Ball State, and the Cyclones were able to provide plenty of first half spark for the home crowd.

In the thirteenth minute, freshman Katie Henley scored the first of her four goals on the day.

Rector started the play with a beautiful through pass to Krista Odenwald who in turn provided a perfect cross pass to Henley for the header.

Ten minutes later, Henley put in her second of the day on a shot by Florez that deflected off of Ball State Keeper K.D. Moreland to the waiting Henley.

The show wasn’t over yet though.

Just three minutes later, midfielder Antongiovanni put a header into the penalty box for Henley who collided with Ball State’s keeper but somehow still managed to get a head on the ball and put it in the goal.

Henley would be down for a couple minutes and sit out the rest of the half, recovering.

Coach Cathy Klein was impressed with the play of Henley.

“We recruited her to be our offensive energy,” she said. She has a goal-scoring touch, and she is just fearless.”

The Cyclone defense shut down Ball State’s attack. The Cardinals were rarely able to advance past midfield thanks in part to freshmen defenders Tiffany Belz, Lauren Sims and Angie Protincaso.

ISU would get on the board once more before half-time on an unassisted goal scored by Ball State’s defense. The half-time score read ISU 4, Ball State 0.

Iowa State would start the second half with Hayley Mercer in the box replacing Lynley Hilligoss, who again did not get to see much action from the opposing team’s offense. Ball State failed to manage even a single shot on goal in the first half.

The Cyclone defense completely shut down the Cardinals again in the second half, not allowing a single shot during the game.

The Cardinals were out shot in the match by a margin of 29-0.

Despite playing on 39 minutes of play, Henley would add her fourth goal of the game in the fifty-eighth minute of regulation. Another picture-perfect cross by Krista Odenwald set up the header and final goal.

“Her passes were incredible,” Henley said of Odenwald. “She pretty much set me right in front. All I had to do was put it in.”

That would be it for Ball State, as ISU would go on to beat them 5-0 and win the Cyclone Classic.

Five Cyclones received Cyclone Classic all-tournament team selections, including Antongiovanni, Florez, Protincaso, Rector and tournament MVP Henley.

Western Michigan was represented by Kathryn Link, Katie Markey and Kerri Verardi.

Whitney Brown and Eileen Weinheimer were the representatives of Ball State and Jessica Smith and Erica Pedini made the team from Loyola-Chicago.

The wins improved the Cyclones to a 3-1 overall record.

ISU plays host to two more home games this weekend.

Friday at 4 p.m., ISU hosts Minnesota.

Then on Sunday at 1 p.m., intrastate rival Iowa comes to town.