DES MOINES, Iowa – Drake women's soccer was on display at home for the first time this season. The Bulldogs rebounded after a pair of tough road results last week to take down in-state foe Iowa State by a 1-0 margin on Thursday night.
Drake's win was not only its first of the year but also provided some history as it marked head coach
Lindsey Horner's 150th career victory, all of which coming with the Bulldogs.
"I'm not sure how our players knew it was my 150th win, but they love any reason to soak me with the water cooler," Horner continued. "The number doesn't really register with me but instead makes me think of all the people involved in each of these wins. I'm so fortunate to have coached so many excellent players and teams and worked alongside such driven, detailed assistant coaches…I'm just so lucky to be trusted to lead this team."
Angela Gutierrez got things on the right track early in Thursday's action with an 8th-minute score to go ahead quickly. Gutierrez was assisted by
Claire Emmerich.
The Dogs and Clones went back-and-forth until Drake struck again in the 38th stanza.
Zoey Mahoney pulled off another of her patented flip throws toward the box where
Izzy Snowden corralled the offering. Snowden then found an aggressive
Alexa Aylward who buried the rock in the back of the net. Aylward's goal was the first of her collegiate career.
Neither team could connect in the second half, but Drake's defense was plenty sturdy as the Bulldogs held on for the 2-0 triumph.
Drake outshot Iowa State 8-6 overall despite the Cyclones' 2-shot advantage in the final 45 minutes. ISU also had one more corner kick attempt than the host Bulldogs.
Bulldog goalkeeper
Addie Ford made four saves to none by ISU's Eme McClenahan. Offensively,
Isabella Balsley was the only player on either side to attempt more than one shot.
"I felt our team put together a complete game tonight," Horner said. "Coming off some hard results lake week, this was a fantastic response…made a lot of improvements in a lot of areas. [Our team] was disciplined in our defensive positioning and composed carrying a lot of possessions. You could really see our players' confidence grow, especially after Angela's goal, and then again after Alexa's first college goal."
The Bulldogs will continue their 5-game homestand with a Sunday afternoon affair back inside Mediacom Stadium. Drake is set for a 1 p.m. battle against St. Thomas on August 23.
