Oct. 29, 2004
IOWA CITY – With a 3-2 win over the Northwestern Wildcats Friday, the University of Iowa field hockey team won a share of the 2004 Big Ten Field Hockey Championship. The Hawkeyes finish the conference season with a 5-1 record, which ties them for first place with the Michigan State Spartans. Michigan, at 4-1, can also claim a share of the title by defeating Penn State tomorrow. This is the Hawkeyes’ 13th conference championship and the first under Head Coach Tracey Griesbaum. The last time Iowa won the Big Ten was 1999.
The game started bleak for the Hawkeyes, who found themselves in an early 2-0 deficit, despite out-shooting the Wildcats 15-4 in the first half. Northwestern’s Candice Cooper scored both Wildcat goals, the first on a breakaway at 22:36 of the first half and the second on a penalty corner nine minutes later.
It appeared Iowa was destined to head into halftime trailing by two, but freshman Kadi Sickel tipped on a shot off the stick of Margot McMahon on a penalty corner to cut the lead to 2-1 with just 22 seconds left in the period. The Hawkeyes even had a chance to tie the game after drawing another penalty corner with no time left on the clock, but the Northwestern defense was up to the task.
The Wildcat defense held strong through the first 20 minutes of the second half, but the Hawkeyes broke through after a timeout to tie the game up at 2-2. Senior Sarah Dawson dribbled the ball down the endline before ripping a pass to Caroline Blaum, who buried the equalizer.
Just over two minutes later, senior Lauren Stiver scored the game winner by drilling a rebound of a penalty corner shot to the back of the cage.
Iowa will finish the regular season Sunday with a non-conference game against Southwest Missouri State. Gametime is set for Noon.