The Iowa State women’s basketball team stepped onto the court with confidence and defeated the Slavyanka (Russia) Club Sunday afternoon.

The exhibition game gave the inexperienced team a chance to work together on the Hilton hardwood before their official season opens later this month.

ISU’s starters included sophomore guard Stacy Frese, sophomore forward Monica Huelman, senior forward Janel Grimm, senior forward Jayme Olson and freshman guard Megan Taylor.

About two minutes after the opening jump, Taylor sank a 3-pointer to light the scoreboard. Taylor also scored the next basket, another 3-pointer.

The Cyclones took an early lead, and the Russian team was never able to recover.

The fact the Russian team suffered two traveling calls didn’t help them get off on the right foot. In fact, it gave the Cyclones the opportunity to open up a five-point lead.

The game continued in a fashion favorable for the cardinal and gold.

Haugen slipped a nice pass to Olson. Olson not only made the shot, but she drew the foul. From the free throw line, she sank one to put the Cyclones ahead 17-11.

The Cyclones outshot the Russians in both field goals and 3-pointers, and the halftime score sat 36-25, with ISU on top.

The second half started off with a jump shot by Grimm from the left side.

The Russians responded with a lay-up. But again, the Cyclones took control and scored two back-to-back 3-pointers.

After the second-half mark, freshman guard Erica Haugen and sophomore guard Amanda Bartz checked into the game.

ISU remained enthusiastic and energetic throughout the second half. And with only a quarter of a match to play, ISU led by a 25-point margin.

With four minutes remaining, freshman guard Sarah Robson, a walk-on added to the roster after the start of school, made her first appearance on the floor.

She made a jump shot with 26 seconds remaining, which gave every Cyclone a place in the books in terms of points.

ISU finished the game with Huelman scoring a last-second lay-up, literally last-second.

The final score was ISU 87, Slavyanka 58.

Coach Bill Fennelly said he was pleased with the team’s play. He said the women ran a rather effective offense and played a solid defense.

He was pleased with Taylor and Haugen’s play, and felt that Bartz, who pulled down seven rebounds, played as well as she ever has.

As for Frese, Fennelly said that she will play better than she did today. She hasn’t played competitively for over 18 months, and that and her pure rush of adrenaline were factors Sunday.

He said she is usually a player who doesn’t get rattled easily.

Frese said the team moved the ball around well and had a great scoring attack.

Taylor, who mentioned she felt comfortable in her first collegiate appearance, said the Cyclone offense responded better with man-to-man than using zones.

Olson added that at times the defense played very well, but the Russians drove the middle and shouldn’t have been able to do that.

Olson said considering it was the first game with all of the unexperienced players, the team “did very well.”

She said it showed “the desire and the fire that we have.”

Fennelly said Haugen, Robson and Taylor are doing new things, and the team has some adjusting to do.

He also said Taylor’s court presence has led to some changes in the offense.

Fennelly said the team is very lucky to have Haugen and Taylor and they are going to do a lot of good things here.

“Overall, we can’t get too excited about the first game, but we have good things to build on,” Fennelly said.