IOWA CITY, Iowa – The top-ranked University of Iowa field hockey team shutout Merrimack College, 8-0, on Sunday afternoon at Grant Field as three Hawkeyes recorded multi-goal games.

Iowa’s defense allowed no shots in its sixth shutout this season. The win moves the Hawkeyes record to 8-0 overall.

“We needed to look a little bit inside ourselves during that first quarter and have some discipline on our individual defense,” said head coach Lisa Cellucci. “Once we did that and continued to move the ball and work off ball for each other, that really set up all the goals going forward.”

Fifth-year Esme Gibson started off the scoring with a goal in the 17th minute off an assist from freshman Miranda Jackson. 

Junior Alex Wesneski recorded back-to-back goals in the second quarter. The Forty-Fort, Pennsylvania native found the back of the goal 21:51 into the game assisted by freshman Dionne van Aalsum following with another goal less than four minutes later assisted by freshman Gia Whalen. 

Junior Annika Herbine extended the Hawkeye lead 20 seconds into the second half with a goal assisted by fifth-year Sofie Stribos.

Freshman Rachel Herbine scored her first career goals. Herbine’s first career goal came 32:22 into the game off an assist from van Aalsum. She followed her first goal with another 46:16 into play assisted by junior Lieve Shalk and van Aalsum.

Van Aalsum closed out the scoring with back-to-back goals in the fourth quarter to extend her multi—goal streak to eight games scoring at 46:49 and 52:59. The Castricum, Netherlands, native was assisted by Annika Herbine and Gibson.

OF NOTE… 

·       Three Hawkeyes — Gibson, Wesneski, and Rachel Herbine — recorded their first goals of the season.

·       Rachel Herbine recorded her first career goals and first multi-goal game.

·       Iowa’s defense has only allowed 43 shots (18 on goal) this season.

·       The Hawkeyes entered the weekend leading the country in shutouts per game (.67).

·       Sophomore Mia Magnotta has only allowed three goals in 479 minutes of action this season.

o   Magnotta has been in net for all six of Iowa’s shutouts.

·       van Aalsum has had multiple goals in every game this season and she leads the nation with 21 goals.

UP NEXT

No. 1 Iowa travels to Ann Arbor, Michigan to open Big Ten play against No. 8 Michigan at 5 p.m. on Friday.

IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa women’s soccer tied Illinois, 1-1, on Sunday to open Big Ten Conference play. Iowa moves to 6-0-2 overall for the season.

Trailing late in the second half, a goal from senior Kelli McGroarty in the 84^th minute lifted the Hawkeyes to their first point in the conference standings.

After trailing for more than 50 minutes of game action, Iowa sent a full-court press that resulted in a proverbial alley-oop; junior Elle Otto delivered a high, arcing cross to McGroarty, who slammed a forceful header through the net to draw the Hawkeyes even.

That would prove to be the final shot of the match, resulting in the stalemate.

Despite being outshot, 6-3, in the first half, the Fighting Illini took an early lead when graduate student Makena Silber jumped a pass between senior captains Maggie Johnston and goalkeeper Macy Enneking. The goal was left undefended, resulting in just the second score allowed by the Iowa defense this season.

The Hawkeyes responded, ultimately outshooting Illinois, 15-8, with 10 shots on goal. Enneking finished with four saves and also fended off a one-on-one look in the second half, forcing a shot wide of the net.

HEAR FROM HEAD COACH DAVE DIIANNI

“We are feeling mixed emotions. I think we had a good week in practice. Today was a great opportunity for us to learn that the Big Ten is very challenging. Especially when you make some critical mental errors, and I am not talking about the giveaway in the back. We missed opportunities in the box, as well.

I loved how we came out in the first 15 minutes, but we were just not clean enough. Illinois is a good team. They are right behind us in the RPI, and we gave them the opportunity to feel good about the game. I thought we missed some details on some corners and some set pieces. I was a bit disappointed on that, and then being a bit more clinical in the box.

We changed systems in the second half and felt our team showed a bit of resolve and fight. Getting points on Sunday is really important. Our team did that. We will learn from it before we get on the road to Wisconsin.”

HAWKEYE NOTABLES

• Iowa outshot Illinois 15-8. Iowa holds a sizeable advantage in shots taken (128-47) and shots on goal (60-22) against its opponents this season.
• The Hawkeyes have recorded 10 or more shots on goal in four of eight matches this season.
• 90 Tracker: Defender Samantha Cary (6), Millie Greer (5) and Johnston (3) each logged 90 minutes against the Fighting Illini. Senior Rielee Fetty (2) is the only other Hawkeye who has played the entirety of at least one game this season.

UP NEXT

Iowa faces Wisconsin at 7 p.m. (CT) on Sept. 21 at the McClimon Track and Soccer Complex in Madison, Wisconsin. The Hawkeyes return home on Sept. 24 to host Minnesota for the Go Green for Mental Health Game. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. (CT).

Final Team Standings:

1) Tri-Center 5-0;

2) Boyer Valley 4-1;

3) Woodbine 3-2;

4) Siouxland Christian 2-3;

5) West Harrison 1-4;

6) Ar-We-Va 0-5.

Match Results:

Tri-Center (5-0): def. Woodbine (21-16, 21-10); def. Boyer Valley (21-17, 21-16); def. Ar-We-Va (21-4, 21-11); def. Siouxland Christian (21-14, 21-7); def. West Harrison (21-9, 21-10).

Boyer Valley (4-1): def. Woodbine (21-16, 15-21, 15-13); def. Siouxland Christian (21-17, 21-13); def. Ar-We-Va (21-13, 21-12); def. West Harrison (21-11, 18-21, 15-7).

Woodbine (3-2): def. West Harrison (21-15, 21-11); def. Siouxland Christian (21-18, 20-22, 15-11); def. Ar-We-Va (21-9, 21-5).

Siouxland Christian (2-3): def. Ar-We-Va (21-11, 21-11); def. West Harrison (2-1).

West Harrison (1-4): def. Ar-We-Va (21-11, 21-14)

Ar-We-Va  (0-5): No wins.

2023 All-Tournament Team

Tri-Center: Avilyn Killpack; Meya Wingert; Cassidy Cunningham.

Boyer Valley: Jess O’Day; Gwen Neilsen.

Woodbine: Danyelle Steinkuehler; Addison Murdock.

West Harrison: Maclayn Houston.

ITHACA, N.Y. — University of Iowa volleyball swept Cornell, 3-0, on Saturday afternoon, inside of Bartels Hall.

Sophomore Nataly Moravec led the way for the Hawkeyes, posting 13 kills, followed by fifth year Caitlan Buettner with nine. Freshman Kaia Mateo tallied 18 assists, and senior Bailey Ortega registered 14 assists. Buettner and junior Michelle Urquhart kept the ball alive for the Hawkeyes, recording 16 and 15 digs, respectively.

HOW IT HAPPENED

SET 1 (Iowa, 25-22): Iowa came out with momentum with a kill by Moravec, assisted by Ortega. Cornell responded and jumped ahead early in the set, but Urquhart registered a kill to get the ball back for the Hawkeyes. Ortega also posted a kill early in the set for the Hawkeyes. Cornell jumped ahead, but Anna Davis put one down to bring the spread to three. The two teams battled back and forth, exchanging kills. Delaney McSweeney came through swinging to record a kill, and then Iowa capitalized on a Cornell error to cut Cornell’s lead to two. Iowa continued to crawl back, as Buettner and Davis paired up for a block. Moravec posted another kill, and Iowa took advantage of a Cornell error to bring the set to a tie at 14. Cornell went on a run, but Iowa was able to climb their way back up and brought the set to a tie five more times. At 22-all, a Cornell error sent them into a timeout. McSweeney put up a kill and joined Moravec for a block to finish the first set on top.

SET 2 (Iowa, 27-25): Iowa took an early lead, capitalizing off a couple errors by Cornell. Moravec registered the first kill of the set and gave the assist to Ortega. The set remained close, tying four times through six. McSweeney added a kill to the books and helped the Hawkeyes. Then, Moravec served an ace and Cornell had an attack error, bringing the set to a tie at 12. The set was neck-and-neck, and the teams tied again at 13 and 14. Big Red took the lead until a kill by Urquhart and a Cornell ball-handling error tied it up at 16. Following a Big Red timeout, Urquhart went back to serve. It stayed close, and the set came to a tie at 18 and 19. Although Cornell held the lead toward the end of the set, scoring continued going back and forth until Iowa closed the set, 27-25, with a McSweeney kill and a Cornell error.

SET 3 (Iowa, 25-11): The Hawkeyes opened the match strong, taking the first seven points of the game and holding Cornell to zero. The Big Red added a couple of points to the board, but a kill by Davis put the ball back in the Hawkeye’s hands. Back-to-back successful attacks by Buettner and Davis brought Iowa ahead by 11, giving assists to junior Sydney Dennis and Urquhart. Iowa went on a 6-0 run, with Moravec recording three more kills and bringing the Hawkeye lead to 21-8. Cornell attempted to lessen the gap, but freshman Rosa Vesty put down a kill to start another offensive run of three for Iowa. Mateo went back to serve an ace, and assisted Urquhart for a kill to bring the set to match point. At match point, Iowa capitalized on a Cornell error to win the set.

UP NEXT

The Hawkeyes return to home to host Minnesota at Xtream Arena Thursday, Sept. 21 in the Big Ten Season Opener. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. (CT) on FS1.

Iowa overcame a slow start to beat Western Michigan 41-10 to move to 3-0 on the season. The Hawkeyes trailed 10-7 in the second quarter before scoring 34 consecutive points to pull away.

That’s Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz. After fast starts in the first two games the Iowa offense stumbled out of the gate and quarterback Cade McNamara was intercepted twice in the opening half.

Iowa’s run game showed major improvement as the Hawkeyes finished with 254 yards on the ground.

Western Michigan got the Iowa defense with several big plays and Ferentz says that area needs to be fixed before Saturday’s Big Ten opener at Penn State.

Iowa State suffered an alarming 10-7 loss at Ohio as they fell to 1-2. ISU managed only 38 yards of rushing, missed two field goals and quarterback Rocco Becht was intercepted twice.

That’s Iowa State coach Matt Campbell. The Cyclones open Big 12 play at home this week against Oklahoma State.

Becht talks about ISU’s lack of a running game.

Becht says the Cyclones need to make progress in a hurry.