Last year, Iowa State and Northern Iowa kicked off the DI Midwest season with a single-digit decision, which went to longtime regional champ UNI. On Saturday, the Cyclones more than closed the gap and overcame Northern Iowa 36-5.

“It was a great win for the team to start the season off,” Iowa State coach Mark Wibholm asserted. “It’s been many years since Iowa State became the victor in this match-up. Last year we came really close, so the girls were wanting to get this game again.”

Northern Iowa found success through its powerful forwards, who were tough to drag down and won nearly every scrum. So Iowa State took the game to the backs, working the ball wide and utilizing its kicking game to isolate UNI’s backs and create turnovers.

The strategy worked, as center Elizabeth Redding finished off three tries, and No. 8 Dakota Taylor scored twice.

The Panthers had their opportunities to put more points on the board, but if it wasn’t a try-saving tackle in open field, then it was slow support that kept UNI’s strong runs from turning into tries.

“We have a lot to build on – mainly, our forward pack needs to get better in the scrum,” Wibholm looked ahead. “That’s my fault. I’m a numbers guy, and the percentage of scrums versus loose play had me focus training on open-field tackles and rucking well. The following weeks we will be working on scrums. I don’t expect to win every put-in, but to not win a single scrum can really be damaging in the coming weeks. We capitalized on our opportunities, but we need to start creating more opportunities, and that starts with a good pack.”

The win is a huge boost of confidence, and Iowa State has made a strong case for number one in the Midwest. Northern Iowa showed some vulnerability against Lindenwood in a 100-plus-point loss, but that game spoke more to the Lady Lions' strength. The Panthers are looking to rebuild without some important personnel this year.

“I felt it was a good victory; it just didn’t seem as great without Steve Murra coaching on the other side,” Wibholm said of the former UNI coach. “He’s been a mentor of mine for a really long time, and who knows what the outcome would have been if he was still on the opposing sidelines.”

This weekend, Iowa State travels to Madison, Wisc., while Northern Iowa takes on Minnesota.