Sept. 25, 2012
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THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa women’s soccer travels to Michigan for a pair of away Big Ten matches. The Hawkeyes will meet Michigan at 6 p.m. (CT) Friday at the U-M Soccer Complex. The match will be streamed online through the BTN Digital Network. Iowa will then take on Michigan State at noon (CT) Sunday at the DeMartin Soccer Complex. The match will be televised live by BTN. Live results for both matches will be available with GameTracker.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
The Wolverines currently sit atop the Big Ten standings with a 3-0-0 record in conference play, and a 9-2-0 overall record. Michigan has recorded five straight shutouts, and has outscored their opponents 21-4 this season. Michigan is coming off a 3-0 win against Wisconsin. Michigan’s attack is led by junior forward Nkem Ezurike, who has 11 points and five goals. Wolverine senior goalkeeper Haley Kopmeyer sports a 0.36 goals against average.
The Spartans (7-3-1, 1-2-0) were shutout (1-0) in their previous two contests. Michigan State has outscored its opponents 16-7 this season, and rank third in the Big Ten in total assists. Michigan State is led by Olivia Stander on offense with three goals and six assists. Spartan goalkeeper Courtney Clem has a .837 save percentage. The Spartans host Nebraska on Friday before facing Iowa.
IOWA 1, INDIANA 0
The Hawkeyes earned their first Big Ten win of the season last Friday, defeating Indiana (5-5-1, 0-3-0), 1-0, at the Iowa Soccer Complex. It was Iowa’s seventh shutout of the season. The Hawkeyes scored the game-winning goal in the 29th minute after an Indiana slide tackle inside the box drew a penalty kick. Senior defender Kat Lewis scored on the penalty kick, her second goal of the season. Freshman Meg Goodson and Hannah Clark earned the combined shutout. Iowa outshot the Hoosiers, 21-13. Junior Ashley Catrell led Iowa with six shots, while senior Gabrielle Ainsworth tallied four.
IOWA 3, Purdue 2
Iowa defeated Purdue (6-4-1, 1-2-0), 3-2, last Sunday at the Iowa Soccer Complex. It was the fifth time in program history Iowa has gone 2-0-0 in a Big Ten weekend. The Hawkeyes used goals by sophomore Katie Nasenbenny (14′), junior Alex Melin (63′) and senior Dana Dalrymple (77′) to take the win. Freshman Meg Goodson played the first half, improving her record in goal 5-1-0. Goodson has a .879 save percentage. Junior Ashley Catrell, Dalrymple and sophomore Nicole Urban led the Iowa offense with three saves a piece.
HAWKEYES SECOND IN THE NATION
Iowa ranks second in the nation in win-loss-tie percentage. Only Florida State ranks above Iowa, sporting a 9-0-0 record. Iowa and Navy are the only teams in the nation with 11 wins.
HAWKEYES PERFECT AT HOME
The Hawkeyes are undefeated within the confines of the Iowa Soccer Complex, sporting a 6-0-0 record at home. Iowa has outscored its opponents 19-3 at home. Iowa is one of three Big Ten teams that are untied and undefeated at home.
HAWKEYES PULL OFF FEAT
For the fifth time in program history, the Hawkeyes went 2-0-0 in regular season Big Ten action on a weekend after defeating Indiana and Purdue. The least time Iowa accomplished that was Sept. 28-30, 2007.
GOODSON EARNS WEEKLY AWARD
Freshman goalkeeper Meg Goodson was named Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Week after leading Iowa to two wins. She played the first half against both Indiana and Purdue, holding both teams scoreless while making five saves.
STAT FACTS
The Hawkeyes rank near the top of the Big Ten in several major statistics. Iowa ranks first in shots (218), points (96), goals (35), penalty kick accuracy (3-3), saves (58) and victory margin (+2.33), second in goals per game (2.92), assists (26), shutouts (7) and third in goals allowed (7) and goals against average (0.58).
Iowa also ranks second in the nation in win-loss-tie percentage, eighth in scoring offense, 11th in save percentage, 18th in goals against average and 24th in shutout percentage.
IN THE RANKINGS
Iowa is third in the NSCAA Great Lakes Regional poll, trailing only Penn State and Michigan. The Hawkeyes also rank 28th in the TopDrawerSoccer.com Tournament 64 Rankings, and are receiving votes in the Soccer Times Top-25 Poll. Iowa ranks 46th in the NCAA RPI rankings.
HAWKEYES DOMINATING STATS
Iowa has looked just as impressive in the stat book as it has on the field this season. The Hawkeyes have outscored their opponents 35-7 this season. Iowa holds a 218-150 advantage in shots, 106-65 in shots on goal, and 50-40 in corner kicks. Iowa has a .486 shot on goal percentage.
HAWKEYES START FAST
Iowa has taken a lead into halftime in 11 of 12 matches this season. The Hawkeyes have outscored their opponents 19-2 in the first half.
LACASSE LEADS DANGEROUS OFFENSE
Sophomore Cloe Lacasse has been the catalyst for the nation’s eighth best offense this season, leading Iowa with 28 points off 11 goals and six assists.
Lacasse ranks third in the country in total goals (11), fourth in total points (28) and points per game (2.33), sixth in goals per game (.917), seventh in game-winning goals (7) and 12th in total assists (6). She also ranks tied for first in the Big Ten in goals, second in points, points per game, goals per game and shots. Lacasse has 23 goals, 12 assists and 58 points in her career. She is fourth in goals and tied for fourth in Iowa’s all-time records list.
DOUBLE TROUBLE
Opposing offenses have had their work cut out for them with Iowa’s goalkeeper rotation of freshmen Meg Goodson and Hannah Clark.
Iowa has allowed just seven goals this season, which ranks third in the Big Ten. Iowa’s save percentage ranks seventh in the NCAA. Goodson has a 5-1-0 record in goal and leads the team with 29 saves. She ranks fifth in the Big Ten in goals against average (0.80), third in save percentage (.879) and 10th in saves (29). Clark has a 5-0-0 record in goal. She ranks second in the Big Ten in goals against average (.51) and save percentage (.885).
HAWKEYES FINISH PERFECT IN NONCONFERENCE
Iowa finished undefeated in nonconference play for the second consecutive season. Iowa went 9-0-0 and outscored its opponents 30-3 before opening Big Ten Play. Iowa has won its past 18 nonconference matches, outscoring its opponents 71-8 in that stretch. Iowa is undefeated in its past 19 nonconference matches, with its last loss coming on Sept. 19, 2010.
CATRELL BREAKS OUT
Junior forward Ashley Catrell is having a breakout season with 17 points off seven goals and three assists. Catrell ranks fifth in the Big Ten in total goals and eighth in goals per game. She ranks 31st in the nation in total goals.
HAWKEYES GET BEST START IN PROGRAM HISTORY
The Hawkeyes opened the season with their best start in program history, going undefeated and untied in their first nine matches. Iowa topped its previous best start from last year’s season, where the Hawkeyes won their first eight matches.
TEAM CAPTAINS
The Hawkeyes have three team captains this season. Senior Dana Dalrymple and juniors Alex Melin and Kat Lewis were voted as captains by their teammates.
RAINEY GETS WIN No. 150
Head coach Ron Rainey earned his 150th career victory, and his 60th victory at Iowa, in the win over Army.
Ron Rainey
Iowa head coach Ron Rainey enters his seventh season at the helm of the program as the winningest coach in program history. Rainey has 63 victories with the Hawkeyes, and sports a 154-120-34 overall coaching record.
Rainey guided Iowa to its most successful season in program history last season, as Iowa went 13-4-3 and had its highest winning percentage ever. Rainey has guided the Hawkeyes to three Big Ten Tournaments, and has helped five Hawkeyes earn All-Big Ten honors.