ISU Soccer Rally Falls Short

AMES, Iowa?The Iowa State soccer team had opportunities to draw even with No. 25-ranked Kansas Sunday, but fell 3-2 in a Big 12 Conference match at the ISU Soccer Complex.

The Cyclones (4-6-0, 0-2-0) got off to their desired start when junior forward Elise Reid drove a shot past Kansas goalkeeper Julie Hanley 9:49 into the match for her third tally of the season.

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Iowa State's momentum was short lived as the Jayhawks (7-3-0, 1-1-0) leveled just minutes later off Monica Dolinsky's fifth goal of the season at the 18:41 mark. Kansas doubled its lead in the 35th minute when Sarah Salazar scored her first goal of the year off an Emily Cressy assist. It marks the third time this year the Cyclones have scored first and went on to lose.

“It's happened a few times this year where we go up a goal and can't maintain a lead,” ISU head coach Wendy Dillinger said. “We don't maintain the same energy and urgency that we start with. It's great that we are going up early up in the game. We need to maintain that momentum.”

Despite trailing 2-1 at the break, ISU held a 3-2 corner kick edge while trailing in shots, 9-6.

Kansas did not relent after the break and found the back of the net 4:07 into the second half. Jessica Bush assisted on Kortney Clifton's fourth score of the year.

The Cyclones did not fold despite trailing by a pair of goals. Junior defender Lauren Fader drove a free kick off the cross bar in the 74th minute from long range. The Cyclones' hard work paid off in 76th minute when freshman defender Emily Hejlik fired a long-distance shot off the bottom of the cross bar and it ricocheted behind the goal line. Fader assisted on Hejlik's first career strike.

“Emily is getting forward and creating,” Dillinger said. “Today she scored a great goal.”

After the ball hit behind the goal-line it bounced back into play and the two teams continued to battle for the ball, not knowing it had been awarded a goal. In the scrum, Kansas' Hanley was knocked out of the game, forcing the Jayhawks to turn to their backup goalkeeper, Stephanie Baugh.

Baugh was tested with less than six minutes remaining when senior midfielder Leslie Hill broke through the Kansas defense. Baugh came off her goal line and made a quality stop on the onrushing Hill.

Kansas ended the game with the shot edge, 22-14, and also had six corners to Iowa State's four. The Jayhawks also had 11 shots on goal while the Cyclones had seven.

ISU travels to Baylor Friday for a 7 p.m. showdown with the Bears. Heading into tonight's conference opener with No. 7-ranked Texas A&M, Baylor is 4-4-1.

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Players Mentioned

Lauren Fader

Lauren Fader

Emily Hejlik

Leslie Hill

Leslie Hill

Elise Reid

Elise Reid

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