Hawkeyes Travel to Northwestern for B1G Contest

Sept. 30, 2015

THIS WEEK
The 18th-ranked University of Iowa field hockey team remains on the road this week when it travels to Evanston, Illinois, to take on No. 14 Northwestern. The Hawkeyes look to pick up their second conference win of the season against the Wildcats on Friday at 2:30 p.m. (CT).

LIVE STREAMING
Iowa field hockey fans can follow all contests via live stats on hawkeyesports.com. Click on the “GameTracker” or “Live Stats” link found on the field hockey schedule page to access the live stats feed. Fans can also follow @IowaFieldHockey for live in-game updates.

LINK UP WITH THE HAWKEYES
For an inside look at the Iowa field hockey program and to access exclusive coverage, “like” The University of Iowa Field Hockey Team on Facebook and follow @IowaFieldHockey on Twitter and Instagram.

NATIONALLY SPEAKING — TEAM STATS
? Through 11 games, Iowa has tallied a Big Ten best 42 assists. The Hawkeyes average 3.82 assists per game, ranking third in the country and first in the conference.
? Iowa’s average of 10.73 points per game ranks sixth in the country and first in the Big Ten. The Hawkeyes have tallied 118 points in 11 games, the fifth most nationally.
? Iowa’s 38 goals are tied for the sixth most in the country. The Hawkeyes’ average of 3.45 goals per game is tied with Maryland for second best in the conference and 12th nationally.
? The Hawkeyes are outscoring their opponents, 38-19, and average a 1.72 margin of victory — eighth best in the country.

NATIONALLY SPEAKING — INDIVIDUAL STATS
? Junior Stephanie Norlander ranks third in the country in points scored with 29. Her average of 2.64 points per game ranks fourth nationally and first in the Big Ten.
? Norlander’s 13 goals in 2015 are the most in the Big Ten and rank third in the country. Her average of 1.18 goals per game ranks fourth in the NCAA.
? Freshman Makenna Grewe and sophomore Melissa Progar are among the best in the country when it comes to dishing it out. Grewe ranks first in the country in assists with 10, while Progar is tied for second with nine. Grewe’s average of 0.91 assists per game ranks second nationally, while her four-assist game against Saint Louis (Sept. 13) is tied with Teresa Benvenuti of Princeton for a 2015 NCAA single game high.
? Grewe’s seven goals in 2015 rank 25th in the country and are tied for fourth among all Division I freshman.
? Grewe’s 24 points are more than any other freshman and rank sixth nationally, while her average of 2.18 points per game rank fourth in the Big Ten and 15th nationally.

SCOUTING NORTHWESTERN
? The Wildcats enter this week’s conference showdown with an 8-4 overall record and a 1-2 record in conference play.
? Three of Northwestern’s four losses this season have come against teams ranked in the top-10 (No. 1 Connecticut, No. 5 Duke, and No. 10 Maryland). Northwestern’s four losses have come by a combined six points, including three losses by one goal.
? On Friday, Iowa will be the fifth ranked opponent Northwestern has faced this year.
? The Wildcats have allowed 19 goals in 12 games played. They have a 1.58 goals against average that ranks 17th in the country and second in the Big Ten.
? Northwestern’s roster features four players that have scored six or more goals this season, led by junior Isabel Flens. Flens is tied for fourth in the country with 11 goals. Her 27 points are tied for fifth nationally.

Northwestern VS. IOWA — THE SERIES
? Iowa is 52-21-4 all-time against Northwestern, including 22-12-2 in away contests.
? In the first ever meeting between the two schools (1978), the Wildcats topped the Hawkeyes, 3-2.
? Northwestern has won three in a row against Iowa. Last season the Hawkeyes and Wildcats met twice; once during the regular season, and again at the Big Ten Tournament.
? Since 2004, Iowa and Northwestern have gone into overtime four times (2004, 2009, 2012, 2013). Iowa is 2-2 in those games.
? Iowa and Northwestern have a rich postseason history, having met nine times in the NCAA Tournament. The Hawkeyes hold a 5-4 advantage in those games.

IN THE RANKINGS
Iowa is ranked 18th in the Penn Monto/National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division I Poll, released on Sept. 29. The Hawkeyes garnered 124 points in the rankings and are one of four ranked Big Ten schools — Maryland (No. 8), Northwestern (No. 14), and Michigan (No. 16). Iowa has been ranked in the polls each week dating back to Sept. 6, 2011.

LOOKING BACK
On Sept. 25, the Hawkeyes had their four-game win streak snapped at Indiana, falling to the Hoosiers, 3-1. Down 2-0, Iowa fought back to pull within one when junior Stephanie Norlander — the Big Ten’s leading goal scorer — notched her 11th goal of the year to put Iowa on the board with 11 minutes left to play. Sophomore Melissa Progar was credited with the assist. Indiana held on to the momentum, however, sealing the 3-1 victory on a goal in the 69th minute.

On Sept. 20, Norlander and sophomore Veronique Declercq combined to score four goals to propel the Hawkeyes to a 6-1 victory over Ball State — the Hawkeyes have scored six or more goals three different times this season. Junior Chandler Ackers and sophomore JoElla Guagliardo also scored for the Hawkeyes.

TO BE THE BEST YOU HAVE TO PLAY THE BEST
Of Iowa’s 18 opponents in 2015, seven are currently ranked in the most recent NFHCA Division I Poll released on Sept. 29 — No. 3 North Carolina, No. 7 Wake Forest, No. 10 Stanford, No. 8 Maryland, No. 14 Northwestern, No. 16 Michigan, and No. 19 James Madison.

GREWE NAMED B1G FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Freshman Makenna Grewe was named Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Week by the league office on Sept. 15. It was the first honor of Grewe’s career.

In three games (Sept. 10-13), Grewe scored three goals and recorded six assists, helping the Hawkeyes to victories over Kent State and Saint Louis.

Grewe got Iowa on the board against fifth-ranked Stanford on Sept. 10 when she tied the game at one in the 38th minute. Iowa eventually fell in heartbreaking fashion, 3-2, losing on a penalty corner with no time left on the clock.

On Sept 12, Grewe scored two goals and recorded two assists in a 7-1 victory over Kent State.

Grewe recorded four assists in Iowa’s 7-0 shutout victory over Saint Louis on Sept. 13, falling one assist shy of tying the school’s single game assists record of five set by Lisa Sweeney in 1991.

BIG TEN PLAYERS TO WATCH LIST
Three University of Iowa field hockey players — Chandler Ackers, Stephanie Norlander and Alexandra Pecora — have been named to the 2015 Big Ten Players to Watch List, announced by the league office.

Ackers, a junior from White Haven, Pennsylvania, started all 18 contests in 2014, accounting for 11 points on two goals and a team-high seven assists. She was named to the 2014 All-Big Ten Tournament Team, while also garnering Academic All-Big Ten honors. Ackers was also named to the NFHCA Academic Squad for the second-straight year.

A two-time Player to Watch, Norlander was a second-team NFHCA All-American and first-team All-Big Ten honoree in 2014. She started in all 18 contests, scoring 35 points on 15 goals and five assists during her sophomore campaign. The North Vancouver, Canada, native ranked third in the Big Ten and 13th nationally in goals per game (.83), while ranking fifth in the Big Ten and 19th nationally in points per game (1.94). Norlander also scored four game-winning goals last season. In 2013, Norlander was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year in addition to earning NFHCA West Region All-America second-team honors.

Pecora appeared in 17 contests in 2014, starting each game at goalkeeper. The Marlton, New Jersey, native posted a 10-7 mark as a sophomore, collecting 78 saves and recording a .722 save percentage. Pecora tallied a career-high 13 saves at No. 2 Maryland on Nov. 1, and was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 28 following her performance in a 4-0 shutout over No. 5 Penn State.

WHAT A SUMMER IT WAS A second-team NFHCA All-American and first-team All-Big Ten honoree in 2014, junior Stephanie Norlander highlights what was a busy summer for several Hawkeyes. A native of North Vancouver, Canada, Norlander competed for the Canadian National Field Hockey Team at the World League 3 semifinals in Valencia, Spain as well as the 2015 Pan American Games, where she helped the Canadians to a third place, bronze medal finish. She scored three goals in Canada’s Pan Am opener against the Dominican Republic en route to a 12-1 victory.

Juniors Chandler Ackers and Alexandra Pecora and sophomores Melissa Progar and Taylor Omweg were each selected and competed in the USA Women’s National Championship at the USA Training Center in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Ackers and Pecora were also selected and participated at the Junior National Team Camp and Trials held at the Spooky Nook Sports Complex also in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Sophomore Veronique Declercq competed for the Belgium U21 Team in various tournaments over the course of the summer.

HAWKEYES IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
The Hawkeyes have been selected to the NCAA Tournament 22 times in program history — the most of any school as a member of the Big Ten Conference. The Hawkeyes are 26-23 all-time in tournament play, including 9-5 in first round match-ups and 11-6 in second round contests. Iowa has advanced to 11 NCAA Final Fours, winning the 1986 national championship. The Hawkeyes 26 tournament victories and 11 NCAA Final Fours are the most of any school as a member of the Big Ten Conference.

IOWA NEWCOMERS
Iowa’s 2015 roster features a lot of youth. Of the 19 student-athletes listed on Iowa’s roster, 12 are either freshmen or sophomores. Iowa’s five freshmen include Lara Bampfield (F), Isabella Brown (MF), Makenna Grewe (MF), Riley Kniptash (F/MF), and Avery Semler (F/MF).

CAFONE REDSHIRTING
The 2014 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and first-team All-American will redshirt during the 2015 season due to injury. Cafone dislocated her shoulder last November and re-injured it during the spring.

WELCOME BACK, JESS
Head coach Lisa Cellucci announced the addition of former Hawkeye Jessica Barnett to her staff in late July. Iowa’s 2012 and 2013 Female Athlete of the Year, Barnett will serve as a volunteer assistant coach. A four-year starter for the Hawkeyes from 2009-12, Barnett was a two-time All-American and a three-time All-Big Ten, All-Region, and Big Ten All-Tournament team selection. She helped the Hawkeyes earn back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 2011-12.

LOOKING AHEAD
The Hawkeyes wrap up a five-game road trip next weekend with games at No. 16 Michigan (Oct. 9) and Central Michigan (Oct. 11).

HAWKEYES ON BTN
Throughout the 2015 season, two Hawkeye contests will be televised live on Big Ten Network — Iowa’s home contest against Michigan State (Oct. 16) and away matchup at Penn State (Oct. 23) –, while five additional matches will be streamed live on the BTN Plus.

All four quarterfinal matches (Nov. 5) of the 2015 Big Ten Tournament, hosted by the University of Indiana, will be streamed on the BTN Plus. Both semifinal contests (Nov. 6) and the championship match (Nov. 8) can be seen live on BTN.

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