Iowa State To Host South Dakota State, Missouri On Season-Opening Weekend

CYCLONE NOTEBOOK
1. The Iowa State Soccer team opens its season at home on Friday vs. South Dakota State. The Cyclones and Jackrabbits will take the pitch at 7:30 p.m. at the Cyclone Sports Complex to kick-off the 2018 regular season. The Cyclones will remain at home to battle former Big 12 rival Missouri on Sunday at 2 p.m. Both game will be televised live on Cyclones.tv.

2. The Cyclones looked strong in an exhibition tune-up at Drake on Saturday, winning the friendly, 2-0, behind goals from Courtney Powell and Emily Steil. Tony Minatta's squad looked in control against the 2017 Missouri Valley Conference regular season champions, creating a bevy of offensive chances.

3. Despite losing defensive contributors in Sasha Stinson and Brianna Johnson on the back-end and Stella Maris-Strohman in the midfield, the Cyclones return their top six point-scorers from a season ago, and 11 of their top 12. That includes top point-scorer Klasey Medelberg, who paced ISU with three goals a year ago.

4. Iowa State brings back the scorers of 12 of its 13 goals in 2017, as well as all nine assists, as the Cyclones look to ramp up the offensive attack in 2018. Both goalkeepers that saw action in 2017 also return to this year's squad in junior Antonia Reyes and sophomore Dayja Schwichtenberg.

5. Senior center back Jordan Enga will be called on to be Iowa State's defensive anchor, returning after a breakout 2017 campaign. Enga was phenomenal as a junior, drawing rave reviews from head coach Tony Minatta while leading the Cyclones by playing 1,690 of a possible 1,705. She was not subbed out of a match after Aug. 21 vs. Minnesota.

6. Iowa State ended the 2017 regular season T-No. 1 nationally in overtime matches played with eight. The Cyclones were one of eight Division I teams to play eight overtime matches, including one of just two teams from a "Power 5" conference (Nebraska).

SERIES vs. SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
Iowa State and South Dakota State have met 11 times on the pitch prior to Friday's season-opener. The Cyclones lead the all-time series vs. the Jackrabbits, 6-3-2.

The Cyclones and Jackrabbits are no strangers, having played in each of the previous nine seasons, including all four of Minatta's seasons at the program's helm. Iowa State is 2-1-1 vs. SDSU under Minatta's guidance.

Last year's match-up in Brookings, S.D., went the distance, ending in a 0-0 tie after neither team was able to score in 110 minutes of action. The Cyclones out-shot SDSU 13-12 in the contest, and enjoyed a 7-2 advantage in shots on goal, but were unable to break through.

Iowa State's last win over South Dakota State came on Aug. 21, 2016, as the Cyclones scored their first victory of the season in 1-0 fashion. Then-sophomore Brooke Tasker scored the game's lone goal, a 35-yard unassisted rocket in the 43^rd minute to lift Iowa State to victory. It would be the first of nine shutout victories during the 2016 campaign.

Iowa State has fared well in season-openers of late, owning a 3-1 record on opening day under Minatta.

SERIES vs. MISSOURI
Former Big 12 foes Iowa State and Missouri will be meeting on the pitch for the 19^th time when the two sides clash on Sunday. The Tigers enjoy a 11-6-1 lead all-time in a series that began on Oct. 20, 1996 with a 3-1 Missouri win in Columbia, Mo.

Following the series debut, Iowa State and Missouri played every year until 2012, when the series was halted by conference realignment. The Cyclones were the better side in the final meeting as league foes, defeating MU in the 2011 regular season finale, 1-0.

The Cyclones and Tigers reignited the series a season ago, when Iowa State traveled to Columbia on Oct. 20. Following a scoreless first half, Missouri notched a pair for goals early in the second stanza, and Iowa State was unable to counter, falling 2-0.

COMPLETE GAME NOTES
For complete game notes, click here (PDF).

Iowa State To Host South Dakota State, Missouri On Season-Opening Weekend

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Players Mentioned

Jordan Enga

Brianna Johnson

Klasey Medelberg

Courtney Powell

Antonia Reyes

Dayja Schwichtenberg

Emily Steil

Sasha Stinson

Brooke Tasker

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Iowa State University Athletics

Iowa State To Host South Dakota State, Missouri On Season-Opening Weekend

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jordan Enga

Brianna Johnson

Klasey Medelberg

Courtney Powell

Antonia Reyes

Dayja Schwichtenberg

Emily Steil

Sasha Stinson

Brooke Tasker

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