WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – University of Iowa women’s soccer handled Purdue, 4-0, at Folk Field on Thursday night to earn its first conference victory this season. Iowa improves to 7-1-3 overall and 1-1-2 in Big Ten Conference play.

The Hawkeyes posted their eighth shutout this season, already the most for an Iowa team since 2019. Iowa has allowed just three goals through 11 contests (0.27 GAA), the fewest allowed by a Big Ten team this season.

Scoring came early and often in the first half, getting rolling in the 18^th minute when junior Kenzie Roling drilled her third goal of the year on a fastbreak pass from seventh-year player Josie Durr.

Roling threaded a fastbreak ball cross-field to the bottom left corner, earning a friendly bank off the bar to thwart the diving Purdue goalkeeper. Her 10 points lead the Hawkeyes offensively this season.

Four minutes later, senior captain Maggie Johnston put Iowa up, two-nil, on the second goal of her Iowa career. Johnston tapped in a free-kick ball dropped into the box by fellow captain Samantha Cary.

Iowa scored for a third time in the period on another free kick, this time on a first pass from midfield by freshman Eva Pattison, who launched the hockey pass to senior Kelli McGroarty at the top of the box.

McGroarty sent the ball forward on a header to set up sophomore Kellen Fife with a one-on-one look at the goalkeeper. Fife drilled the shot, giving Iowa its second set-piece score and a commanding, 3-0, lead heading into the break.

The Hawkeyes put up seven more shots in the second half, connecting for the final time with ten minutes left to play on a score from senior Rielee Fetty. The play marked a career-first goal for Fetty, as well as a career-first assist for freshman Sofia Bush.

Iowa outshot Purdue, 15-8, and tallied a 9-1 advantage in shots on goal. The 4-0 margin of victory is Iowa’s greatest against a Big Ten opponent since downing Nebraska by the same score on Oct. 16, 2022.

HEAR FROM HEAD COACH DAVE DIIANNI

“I thought we were pretty opportunistic. We were pretty tight the last couple of weeks. We rank third in the country in goals against. We try to impress upon them to rely on good defending and working hard together. The goal opportunities will come. We scored two on set pieces, or at least reruns. We hadn’t done that yet this year. When you see the ball go in the back of the net once, you gain a little confidence. You saw momentum just kind of roll there, fortunately for us…

I am very proud of our team’s effort and resilience, coming on the road and playing in front of a big crowd. Our mentality to attack today for 90 minutes as a team was the difference in the game.”

HAWKEYE NOTABLES

• Goalkeeper Macy Enneking picked up her 17^th career shutout, ranking third in program history. Enneking ranks fifth in the Hawkeye record book with 20 career victories (.700 win percentage).
• The Hawkeyes earned their first win at Folk Field since 2017; the series against Purdue moves to 11-7-5 in favor of Iowa.
• Nine Hawkeyes registered offensive points.
• Both Johnston and Fife connected on their second career goals and first goals this season; Fetty’s goal was a career first.
• Thursday’s result makes the third contest this season in which Iowa has scored three or more goals.
• 2 for the Money: The Hawkeyes are undefeated in their last 43 games when scoring two goals or more. Dating back to the 2017 season, Iowa has a record of 40-0-3 when scoring two goals or more. That includes a 5-0-0 record this season, 4-0-2 in 2022, 9-0 in 2021, 2-0 in 2020, 13-0-1 in 2019 and 5-0 in 2018. The Hawkeyes won their final two games in 2017 when scoring two-plus goals. The last time Iowa lost a game while netting at least two goals was Oct. 1, 2017, at Michigan State (L, 3-2).
• 90 Tracker: Freshman Millie Greer (8) was the only Hawkeye to play the entirety of Thursday’s contest. The following position players have recorded at least one 90-minute outing this season: Samantha Cary (8), senior Rielee Fetty (4), senior Maggie Johnston (4), junior Kenzie Roling, sophomore Kellen Fife and freshman Eva Pattison. Nine substitutes checked in against Purdue.

UP NEXT

The Hawkeyes return home on Oct. 1 to host Rutgers for the annual Pink Game for breast cancer awareness. Kickoff is set for noon at the Iowa Soccer Complex.