2018 Soccer Season Review

AMES, Iowa – The Iowa State Soccer team (4-14-2, 2-6-1 Big 12) ended its 2018 campaign with a 3-0 loss to No. 1-seeded Baylor in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Championship in Kansas City, Mo. A strong close the season, and the emergence of a talented group of underclassmen are signs of promise for the Iowa State program in 2019.

Cyclone Soccer Headlines
-Head coach Tony Minatta led Iowa State to its second postseason bid in the last three years. He guided a battle-tested Cyclone squad to a strong finish, winning their final two conference matches, to lock in the bid to Kansas City. Iowa State played the 13th-toughest overall schedule in the nation this season and the fourth-toughest regular season schedule, per the NCAA.

-Iowa State punched its ticket to the 2018 Big 12 Championship on the final day of the regular season. The Cyclones needed a senior night win over Kansas State and a TCU win over Oklahoma State in order to advance to the postseason, and got both results. ISU won its final two conference matches after opening Big 12 play 0-6-1.

-Emily Steil, one of seven seniors playing in the final home match of their careers, connected on the game-winning goal in the 73rd minute vs. Kansas State. Steil collected a K-State misplay and surged in behind the Wildcat back line to bury her third goal of the season and send the Cyclones to Kansas City.

-Steil enjoyed the best year of her career as a senior. The native of San Juan Capistrano, Calif., lead Iowa State in points (11), assists (5) and was T-No. 2 on the team in goals (3). Her 11 career assists are the most by an active Cyclone since 2013 (Emily Goldstein - 14), and place her tied for seventh on Iowa State's all-time list.

-Sophomore goalkeeper Dayja Schwichtenberg notched back-to-back shutouts to end the regular season, giving her four in 2018. Schwichtenberg spent all 1,875 available minutes between the posts this season for Iowa State and was the Big 12's regular season leader in saves (100) and saves per game (5.26).

-Due to injuries, as well as the emergence of talented underclassmen, a season-high 60 percent (594 of 989) of Iowa State's minutes vs. Kansas State were played by underclassmen. Freshmen Taylor Bee and Brooke Miller and sophomores McKenna Schultz and Dayja Schwichtenberg all played 90 minutes in the Cyclone win.

-Ten of Iowa State's 18 goals this season were scored by underclassmen, while 55.1 percent of Iowa State's total minutes this year were played by the freshman and sophomore contingent.

-The Cyclones notched their first conference victory of the season at OSU's Neal Patterson Stadium in a must-win situation, as a tie or loss would eliminate them from postseason play. Sophomores Shea Sullivan (27') and Kassi Ginther (55') both scored goals as Iowa State defeated Oklahoma State, 2-0.

-Shea Sullivan's game-winning goal vs. Oklahoma State in the 27th minute provided perhaps the highlight of the season thus far for the Cyclones. Following an ISU corner that was cleared out of the box, Sullivan collected the carom, took a touch and sent a rocket from 35 yards out into the upper left-hand corner of the net for the first goal of her career.

-Kassi Ginther continued to be a bright spot for the Cyclones on their road trip through Oklahoma. The sophomore scored two goals on the weekend, including a penalty kick (55') at Oklahoma State for her team-leading fourth goal of the season.

-Ginther was T-No. 3 in the Big 12 for goals scored in conference play with four, the most among league underclassmen. Ginther also ranks No. 2 on the team with nine points this season.

Players Mentioned

Taylor Bee

Kassi Ginther

Brooke Miller

McKenna Schultz

Dayja Schwichtenberg

Emily Steil

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics