AMES, Iowa – Looking to put the final touches on the third Big 12 Conference win of the season, Iowa State had other plans for Arizona State on Sunday afternoon as the Cyclones netted the match-tying goal during the 85th minute before the match ended in a 1-1 tie after 90 minutes of action.
Playing in winds up to 20 miles per hour and gusts up to 25, the Iowa State (4-7-3, 1-6-1) offense took advantage of the non-windy end of the pitch, where the Cyclones totaled nine first-half shot attempts – that resulted in three Pauline Nelles saves – and three corner kicks. With the wind during the first 45 minutes, Arizona State only totaled four shot attempts and two corners.
However, once the ends of the pitch were flipped, Arizona State took advantage of the non-wind-aided third of the pitch with eight shot attempts and five corners. But no corner and shot attempt for the Sun Devils was larger than the one that occurred with 67 minutes, 34 seconds on the clock.
With Addison Baltodano standing over the ball on the corner closest to the Sun Devil bench, the freshman sent the ball into the six-yard box, where Lucy Fazackerley headed it past Iowa State goalkeeper Kasey Cannistraro for Fazackerley’s third goal on the season.
Despite Arizona State appearing in a prime position to score the match’s next goal, it was Iowa State that did so after Isabella Agrusso collected a loose ball – after Fazackerley’s clearance got caught up in the wind and blew backward and found Taylor Spitzer, who blasted a shot into the upper third of the frame to tie the match at 1-1.
Over the final four minutes of the match, only Arizona State recorded a potential game-winning goal scenario with an Adrielle Mibe shot attempt at the 85:50 mark, before Cannistraro had to make a remarkable save on a Sierra Bergen shot attempt at 87:28.
From Head Coach Graham Winkworth
“Obviously, I’m disappointed, because it felt like a defeat today, especially after leading 1-0 and not really being troubled in the second half. I thought the first half was very good, because we were playing against a really strong wind and handled that pretty well. We knew we would have more opportunities in the second half with the wind. We should’ve been more creative than we were in the second half. But ultimately, we have to be able to seal out a game. I felt like – once again – we were in control of the game in the middle of the pitch, but not being good enough in both penalty areas has just been our Achilles heel.”
Match notes
- Despite Sunday’s result, Arizona State has not lost a soccer match (1-0-1) to Iowa State throughout the Sun Devils’ history.
- Arizona State is now 8-0-2 throughout the 2025 season when scoring the match’s first goal.
- When including Sunday’s result, Arizona State moves to 8-0-3 when holding an opponent scoreless during the first half of a match during the 2025 campaign.
- Even though Arizona State’s match against Iowa State on Sunday resulted in a tie after 90 minutes, the Sun Devils remain unbeaten (1-0-2) in the first of a multi-match road slate this season.
Up next
- Arizona State (9-4-3, 2-4-2) will, again, play away from Tempe as the Sun Devils will now travel to Salt Lake City to play Utah (7-7-3, 2-4-2) at Ute Field at 5:30 p.m. MST on Thursday, Oct. 23.
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