Oct. 14, 2003
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This Week
The Hawkeyes will travel to the state of Ohio this weekend for a pair of games. Iowa will open with Big Ten Conference foe Ohio State Friday at 2 p.m., then travel to Athens, OH, for a Sunday contest against Ohio University. Gametime is set for 11 a.m. All times are central.
Last Weekend
The University of Iowa field hockey team was defeated by the Michigan State Spartans, 3-1, Saturday at Grant Field. The Hawkeyes jumped out of the gates with some spirited play against Michigan State. Iowa drew first blood, taking a 1-0 lead just 7:25 into the game. On a free hit into the circle, sophomore midfielder Debbie Birrell threaded a beautiful pass to the stick of junior forward Sarah Dawson, who knocked the ball to the back of the cage. The momentum carried the Hawkeyes into the waning moments of the second half, when the Spartans tied the game up at 1-1 with a penalty corner goal with 1:01 left in the period. Veerle Goudswaard connected on the assist from Alexandra Kyser. The goal seemed to take the life out of the Hawkeyes, while Michigan State used the momentum to dominate play in the second half. Michelle Huynh-Ba scored on a rebound at 41:29 to give Michigan State the 2-1 lead. The Spartans added an insurance goal in the final minutes by earning and converting a penalty stroke. Kyser took the stroke for Michigan State. Iowa goalkeeper Barb Weinberg made seven saves on the day. Hawkeye defenders Shelby Roche and Heather Schnepf each recorded a defensive save.
NFHCA Poll
The Hawkeyes fell to ninth in this week’s STX/NFHCA coaches poll. Four of the seven Big Ten teams were ranked in the top 20, led by Michigan at No. 5, Michigan State at No. 6 and Penn State at No. 8. The Indiana and Ohio State were listed as receiving votes. Wake Forest held down the No. 1 spot.
On Ohio State
The Ohio State Buckeyes are currently 8-5 with a 1-1 mark in Big Ten play. The Buckeye offense is led by the Big Ten’s leading scorer Vanessa Immordino. Immordino has 40 points on 17 goals and six assists. The senior is averaging 1.31 goals and 3.08 points per game – both Big Ten bests. Ohio State’s other prolific scorer is Lucy Clayton, who has 27 points on 11 goals and five assists. As a team, the Buckeyes are averaging three goals a game, while giving up a league-worst 2.08 goals per game. Ohio State’s goalkeeping duties are handled by sophomore Lindsay Williams, who has a 2.10 goals against average and a .718 save percentage. The Hawkeyes lead the all-time series with Ohio State 37-7, but the Buckeyes have won four straight. Ohio State is coached by Anne Wilkinson, who is in her eighth year.
On Ohio
The Ohio University Bobcats head into the week with a 5-7 record and a 3-2 mark in the Mid-American Conference. The Bobcat offense is led by Elizabeth Holtzman, who has 16 points on seven goals and two assists. Ohio uses two goalkeepers, Jen Cote and Ashley Pitkin. Cote leads the way with a 4-4 record to go with her 2.15 goals against average and .705 save percentage. Pitkin is 1-3 with a 3.47 goals against average and a .675 save percentage. The Hawkeyes and Bobcats have played twice, with each team winning on its home field. The Bobcats are coached by Shelly Morris, who is in her fifth season at the helm.
She Just Keeps Scoring Senior forward Pattie Gillern is having a career-season in her senior year. The Medford, NJ, native has scored a team-best 13 goals so far this season. She has also added an assist for 27 points. Her season total is already better than the team leaders from each of the past three seasons. Tiffany Fodera led the team with ten in 2000, Sarah Dawson led the team with 10 in 2001, while Gillern and Tiffany Leister led the team last season with six apiece.
Last Line of Defense
Freshman back Heather Schnepf has been enjoying an outstanding debut season with the Hawkeye defense. The Medford Lakes, NJ, native has recorded a team-best five defensive saves so far this season, more than the entire Hawkeye team had last year. That total ties her with Michigan State’s Jessica Miller for the top spot in the Big Ten. Lauren Stiver and Shelby Roche are second on the team with two apiece.
Medical Report
Freshman forward Kelly Slattery missed the second half of Saturday’s game with Michigan State after taking a stick to the face late in the first half. Slattery sustained a broken nose on the play, and is probable for the weekend in Ohio.
First Time For Everything
Saturday’s loss to Michigan State was the first time the Hawkeyes have blown a lead this season. Sarah Dawson’s first half goal gave Iowa a 1-0 lead, then the Spartans came back to score three unaswered goals and take the 3-1 win.
Lending a Helping Hand
Senior midfielder Lindsay Miller currently leads the Hawkeyes with six assists. She is also second on the team with ten points (two goals, six assists). Sophomore midfielder Debbie Birrell is second on the team with five assists.
Offensive Improvement
The Hawkeye offense is performing at a much higher level than last season, scoring 32 goals so far. Last year, Iowa scored only 26 goals all season.
Gillern in the Big Ten
Senior Pattie Gillern leads the Big Ten with five game-winning goals. She is second in the Big Ten in goals (13), shots (69) and shots per game (5.55).
Tenacious D
The Hawkeye defense is rapidly becoming a force to be reckoned with. Iowa has given up only 13 goals all season. The team is fourth nationally in scoring defense, allowing only 1.00 goal per game. Iowa’s 13 goals allowed is the fewest in the Big Ten.
Weinberg Ranks Nationally
Barb Weinberg is making her case as one of the top goalkeepers not only in the Big Ten, but in the entire country. The junior is sixth nationally with a 0.995 goals against average and ranks fifth with a robust .840 save percentage.
Weinberg in the Big Ten
Junior goalkeeper Barb Weinberg leads the Big Ten in shutouts (5) and is second in goals against average (0.995). Weinberg was a first team all-Big Ten selection last season.
Freshman Contribution
Freshman forward Kelly Slattery has worked her way into the starting lineup and is paying dividends for the Hawkeyes. The St. Louis, MO, native is fifth on the team in scoring with seven points off three goals and one assist.
The Head Coach
Tracey Griesbaum returns to the helm of the Hawkeye field hockey program for her third year. She has done a good job rebuilding the Iowa program, recording a 27-15 record. Before taking the head coaching job at Iowa, she was with United States Field Hockey. Griesbaum not only served as a full-time assistant, but was the head coach for the United States Under-21 Team. She led the Under-21 team to a second-place finish at the Pan American Junior Championships and a spot in the 2001 Junior World Cup. Her work was good enough to earn her the 2000 United States Field Hockey Coach of the Year award. Before taking the job with USA Field Hockey, Griesbaum was an assistant coach at Iowa for eight years.
The Assistants
Former Hawkeye Lisa Cellucci and Carla Tagliente will serve as the assistant coaches this season. Cellucci was a four-year starter in the cage for Iowa. From 1995-98, Cellucci was a three-time All-American, four-time Regional All-American and a four-time All-Big Ten selection. After graduation, Cellucci was an assistant coach at James Madison, where she helped the Dukes to a 15-7 record. Tagliente was a four-time all-America selection for Maryland from 1997-2000, earning first team laurels her final three years. She led the Terps to three ACC Titles and the 1999 NCAA Championship. She was also a two-time Broderick Award finalist and was a member of the U.S. National team from 1997-2003.