Four-Goal Second Half Leads ISU Over UNI, 4-1

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – For the first time since 1999, Iowa State (3-1-2, 0-0 Big 12) scored four goals in back-to-back contests as it used a strong second-half performance to power past UNI (3-3-1, 0-0 MVC) and win 4-1 in the non-conference finale.

Iowa State's second-half surge was led by Ella Zimmerman, who recorded her first career brace, scoring twice in a span of five minutes. ISU's four second-half goals are the most since 2012, when the team notched five against South Dakota.

Things got off to a rough start for the Cyclones, as the Panthers scored in the first six minutes to take a 1-0 lead and would take that advantage into the break. After half, ISU notched three scored in the first 15 minutes of the second stanza – all coming within five minutes of each other – before scoring one last time in the 85th minute.

Zimmerman led the way for the Cyclones, taking and making two shots for a team-high four points on the day. Morgan Goodman scored her second goal of the season and notched her first assist to tally three points. Taylor Spitzer scored the team's fourth goal and her second in as many games for the Cyclones. Sophie Forrester led the team in shots with four, while Kasey Cannistraro recorded three saves in net.

Olivia Knoepfle scored UNI's lone goal in the sixth minute and was tied for the team lead in shots with two. Panther keeper Kennedy Buntenbach had five saves on the afternoon.

Iowa State held the shot advantage (12-8), while UNI had both more saves (5-3) and corner kicks (5-4). With the win, ISU moves to 13-1-1 all-time edge over UNI.

How it Happened
Iowa State took a stab at gaining the early momentum, as Forrester had a solid look in the first minute but missed just right of the net. Four minutes later, UNI converted off a corner set piece with a slow roller that snuck past Cannistraro and put the Panthers on top, 1-0.

Forrester continued to be the aggressor for the Cyclones in the first stanza, as the freshman rattled off two more shots but to no avail, as ISU would head into the break trailing.

At the half, each team had five shots, with the Panthers owning a 2-1 save advantage.

The Second period was an entirely different story, as the Cyclones came out of the break firing away. The Cyclones had two shots in the first five minutes of second-half action before Zimmerman broke through in the 55th minute off of a free kick just outside of the box to knot the game up at one apiece.

The very next Cyclone shot also found the back of the net, as Spitzer brought a ball to the of the pitch and fired from deep, going top shelf, just outside the outstretched reach of the Panther keeper to give the Cyclones the edge.

Just a little a minute after Spitzer's goal and not even five minutes after her first, Zimmerman came through again. The redshirt junior was in the right spot to receive a corner kick from Goodman and headed it to the back left corner of the goal to make it 3-1 ISU.

After a frantic five minutes, each side saw the action die down, as the next attempt didn't come until the 74th minute – 14 minutes of game action after the trio of Cyclone scores.

After three UNI attempts, Iowa State found itself in another advantageous spot and took advantage of another free kick earned via foul as Goodman connected to record her second goal of the season and make it 4-1 ISU in the 85th minute.

Goals
Iowa State: Ella Zimmerman – 54:21 & 59:51 (3), Taylor Spitzer – 58:09 (2), Morgan Goodman – 85:00 (2)
UNI: Olivia Knoepfle – 5:33 (1)

Assists
Iowa State: Morgan Goodman (1)
UNI: Kylie Knief (2)

Up Next
Iowa State will be back in action next Thursday, Sept. 18, when it returns to the Cyclone Soccer Complex to take on Arizona in the Big 12 opener. Next Thursday's contest is set to begin at 6 pm and will be streamed live on ESPN+.

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Team Stats

Ella Zimmerman

Morgan Goodman

Taylor Spitzer

Sophie Forrester

Players Mentioned

Kasey Cannistraro

Sophie Forrester

Morgan Goodman

Taylor Spitzer

Ella Zimmerman

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