Sept. 19, 2010
Griesbaum Postgame Interview
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By RICHIE ZAWISTOWSKI
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Early on, the shots simply weren’t hitting the back of the net for the University of Iowa field hockey team.
However, Iowa didn’t fold and instead kept at it. Both Kim Scraper and Sarah Pergine scored a goal in the final 10 minutes of the match and secured a 2-0 victory over Ball State on Saturday at Grant Field.
“I thought the second half we came out a lot stronger than we did in the first half, so I think that really helped us,” said Scraper, whose goal with just under 10 minutes remaining snapped the scoreless contest. “I got the ball from our right midfielder, Aubrey Coleman, who passed it to me on the baseline, and then I dribbled for the net and took a back hand shot.”
Griesbaum likes the skills that Scraper brings to the UI team.
“Kim has really good tight skills, and she likes to carry, or kind of tuck, the ball to her left,” said Griesbaum. “So that right away puts the ball in her backhand, and she obviously is comfortable getting the ball in the air.”
With a flick of the wrist, Scraper put Iowa on the scoreboard.
“It was just a little wrist-shot on her backhand,” said Griesbaum. “It’s not something that we train a lot, but someone who is a forward, those are the kinds of skills they should be practicing on their own at all times so it was really nice to have her read that situation and finish.”
Pergine, a senior, seemed to open the floodgates for Iowa as she put the ball into the back of the net moments after Scraper, giving Iowa the 2-0 advantage.
“I think the first goal just really helped us get our momentum going,” said Pergine, “If we would’ve had a goal earlier in the game, we would have been a little bit more quick the ball — the momentum in general would’ve been higher.”
Chances were there at times for Iowa during the match, however Iowa did not capitalize. Iowa dominated possession of the ball, and out-shot Ball State 26-3.
“We were making the plays to get it in the circle, it’s just we weren’t putting it into the back of the net,” said Pergine.
Griesbaum liked that while Iowa dominated early without scoring, the Hawkeyes did not force the issue, and rather stuck to the game plan to get the win.
“This game is really kind of hard when you feel like you are dominating in the statistical category and you’re not getting the goals,” said Griesbaum. “It can start to put some pressure on you, and you start to press, so I was happy that this team that they didn’t fold. They just stuck to the game-plan.”