24 Hawkeyes to Watch 2016-17 | Hawk Talk Monthly — Oct. 2016 | Photo Gallery | Box Score (PDF) | Boxscore
IOWA CITY, Iowa — The 16th-ranked University of Iowa field hockey team defeated Central Michigan, 11-0, Friday. Senior Chandler Ackers scored a hat trick in the victory. With the win the Hawkeyes improve to 8-5 on the season.
“One of our goals today was to be really efficient on the offensive side of the ball,” said UI head coach Lisa Cellucci. “I think we did that early on especially getting an eight-goal first half lead. We wanted to make really clean plays and I think we did that. This was great momentum going into Sunday to play a very tough UC Davis team.”
Ackers scored all three of her goals off of corners. The senior recorded her first goal in the 10th minute to give Iowa a 2-0 lead. Acker’s second goal game came in the 17th minute to extend Iowa’s lead to 5-0. The White Haven, Pennsylvania, native completed her hat trick late in the first, scoring in the 34th minute to give the Hawkeyes an eight-goal advantage.
“We’ve been working all season with (Ackers) to improve her penalty corner execution and she did great today,” said Cellucci. “I’m really glad to get the monkey off her back, and hopefully that will help propel her going forward.”
Freshman Sophie Sunderland scored the first two goals of her career Friday. The freshman’s first goal came in the 12th minute when she tipped Katie Birch’s shot past the goalkeeper to give Iowa a 3-0 lead. Sunderland scored a few minutes later in the 18th minute when she beat the goaltender from the left side of the cage to extend Iowa’s lead to 4-0.
Redshirt senior Natalie Cafone also recorded two goals. Cafone’s first score came in the 23rd minute when she beat a few Central Michigan defenders and put the ball past the goalkeeper from the center of the circle. Cafone struck again in the 27th minute. The redshirt senior took a pass from junior Melissa Progar and put the ball in the back of the cage. Cafone now has 61 career goals — one goal shy of tying former Hawkeye Kelly Flanagan for eighth all-time.
Birch, junior JoElla Guagliardo, senior Sophie Plasteras, and sophomore Lara Bampfield each recorded one goal in the victory. Alexandra Pecora and Katie Jones combined for a shutout for the second time this season. Friday’s 11-0 victory marks the second time this season the Hawkeyes have won by 11.
The Hawkeyes are back in action Sunday, hosting UC Davis at 1 p.m. (CT) at Grant Field. Admission is free to the public.
