Soccer Opens Sunday Vs. Oakland

AMES, Iowa - The Iowa State soccer team will play host to Oakland Sunday as they open the 2007 docket at 12 p.m. The Cyclones posted a 1-1 record in two exhibition contests.

Cyclone Notebook

- The Cyclones fell to Drake, 2-1, on Aug. 25 in Des Moines. Erin Witte scored her team-leading second goal of the preseason.

- The Cyclones defeated Creighton, 2-0, on Aug. 18, in Ames. Elise Reid and Erin Witte each tallied a goal and Ann Gleason made three saves to earn the shutout in net.

- The Cyclones return 18 of 21 players who saw action in 2006, including 95 percent of their scoring.

- The Cyclones were undefeated in the spring season, going 5-0-1.

- 2006 Big 12 saves (119) and saves per game (5.95) leader Ann Gleason returns for her sophomore season with the Cyclones. Gleason played every minute of every match in net as the only goalkeeper on the ISU roster in 2006. She'll have some help in 2007 with freshman Ashley Costanzo joining the team.

- The 2007 Iowa State roster has 25 players, the most of any Cyclone team in the 13-year history of the program. Prior to this season, the 23-player rosters of the 1996 and 1997 squads were the most. Consequently, the equipment managers were busy at work this offseason with numbers 26 and 28 making their program debut in '07. Sophomore transfer Lauren Stuart will wear No. 26 while freshman Julie Chen will don No. 28.

- The Cyclones own a 1-0 all-time series lead over Oakland with a 3-1 victory on Sept. 12, 1998 in Ames

A Closer Look At Oakland

- The Cyclones lead the all-time series, 1-0, having beaten the Grizzlies, 3-1, on Sept. 12, 1998, in Ames.

- Oakland (8-11-1) qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 2006 after edging Western Illinois in a shootout (4-3) following a 1-1 draw in the Mid-Continent Conference Championship game. The Golden Grizzlies were then defeated in the NCAA First Round by eventual NCAA runner-up Notre Dame.

- Oakland is coached by Nick O'Shea. In his 14th year with the Golden Grizzlies, O'Shea has compiled a 153-79-11 record, including five Mid-Continent Conference regular season titles and five league tournament titles.

- The defending Mid-Continent Conference champions return league Offensive Player of the Year Kristi Tomczyk, who scored 12 goals to go along with two assists in 2006.

- Also returning for the 2007 Summit League favorites are fellow all-conference selections Kristi Evans, Jessica Boyle, Kristi Mitchell, Marlie Lieberman, Lindsey Blair, and Kim Herbst.

- Boyle was named conference tournament MVP after scoring two goals in as many games.

- Oakland travels to Ames after a Friday match-up with Syracuse on the Golden Grizzlies' home field in Rochester, Mich.

Players Mentioned

Julie Chen

Ashley Costanzo

Ann Gleason

Ann Gleason

Elise Reid

Elise Reid

Erin Witte

Erin Witte

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics