AMES, Iowa – The No. 2-ranked West Virginia University women's soccer team pushed its win streak to five with a 2-0 victory at Iowa State this afternoon at the Cyclone Sports Complex.
The shutout is the Mountaineers' eighth of the season, fourth straight over the Cyclones (7-5-1, 1-3-1) and third consecutive in Big 12 play. WVU (12-1-1, 4-0) has not allowed a goal in a conference match this season and has earned a clean sheet in seven of its last nine Big 12 road contests.
“We did our job today. I don't think we wanted to leave any question marks,” Mountaineer coach
Nikki Izzo-Brown said. “I was proud of the way we came out. We finished two in the first half, and that was big. We also played well behind the ball.
“I give a lot of credit – this is a very good Iowa State team. They had a great game plan and really tried to disrupt us. I thought we were smart with what we did today.”
A pair of juniors connected in the 14th minute for the game-winner, though not in typical fashion, as forward
Michaela Abam fed midfielder
Carla Portillo, who easily finished from six-yards out toward the near, low left pocket.
The scoring play started on the opposite side of the field, as senior midfielder
Ashley Lawrence sent a nice through ball which junior forward
Heather Kaleiohi chased down to the end line before sending the cross to Abam, who beat her defender with a move and then played the ball into Portillo.
“Those two have a connection on the field, as they should because they spend so much time together,” Izzo-Brown laughed. “At the end of the day, they were able to connect and finish one, and that's all that matters.”
The score was the second of the season for the Mississauga, Ontario, native, and the helper was Abam's third of the year. The Houston native's point total now stands at a team-best 17 (7 G, 3 A).
Senior defender
Kadeisha Buchanan extended the lead to two 13 minutes later off a beautiful individual effort. With the ball outside the 18-yard box, Buchanan beat multiple Cyclones before letting a low, hard shot go from 25-yards out that was perfectly directed toward the left post. The goal was her second of the season.
“It was huge for Keisha to finish one today,” Izzo-Brown added. “Obviously, she earned a good stat line with a shutout and a goal.”
Freshman
Rylee Foster earned the win today, making two saves, both in the first half.
The Mountaineers finished with an 18-5 edge in shots and a 5-2 advantage in corner kicks. WVU forced ISU's Lindsey Hendon into six saves, three each half.
Buchanan was busy defensively, too, in the first half. She halted a scary drive by Klasey Medelberg in the 24th minute, forcing her to the end line before kicking the ball between the Cyclone's legs and toward Foster.
Following Buchanan's goal, senior midfielder
Ashley Woolpert came close to adding another, as she took a quick shot from just inside the box, but Hendon came up with the save at the right post.
ISU looked dangerous with less than a minute remaining in the half. Emily Steil stole the ball near midfield and sent it forward to Mia McAleer, who immediately sent a driving shot toward the net. Foster stood her ground and came up with the catching save, her second of the half.
The majority of the second half was played between the 18s. Sophomore forward
Sh'Nia Gordon earned a clean look inside the box in the 55th minute, but Hendon was there for the stop.
Lawrence looked for her own goal 15 minutes later, but her turning shot near the top left corner of the box was stopped at the near post by Hendon.
The Mountaineer attack had two nice looks in the 73rd minute. First, sophomore forward
Hannah Abraham sent a cross to a streaking Abam, but she was taken down at the right post before she could control the ball for a shot. Just two minutes later, an ISU foul gave WVU a free kick from 26-out, but Abam's on-target shot, which broke through the Cyclone wall, was stopped by Hendon for her final save of the match.
A WVU foul in the 83rd minute deep in the ISU final third gave the Cyclones a dangerous free kick right of the 18-yard box, but sophomore forward
Grace Cutler expertly headed the kick out of the box before Buchanan kicked it away to midfield.
With the win, the Mountaineers improve to 31-1-3 in all-time Big 12 play and 5-0 all-time against the Cyclones.
WVU's program win total moves to 298, two wins short of program victory No. 300.
The Mountaineers return to Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium on Oct. 14 for a 6 p.m. match against Texas Tech. The contest will be broadcast nationally on ESPNU.
The first 175 fans into the stadium Friday night will receive a free “Almost Heaven” long sleeve t-shirt. Additionally, the first 75 Mountaineer Maniacs inside the gate will receive a free scarf.
Friday night also is “Good Student Night.” Youths 13 years and younger who bring an assignment or test with an 'A' or star on it will receive free admission.
Tickets are on sale now at WVUGAME.com. Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for youths and senior citizens and $2 for groups of 10 or more. WVU students are admitted free with a valid WVU Student I.D.
