24 Hawkeyes to Watch 2018-19 | Hawk Talk Monthly — October 2018 | Week 9 Notes (PDF)
THIS WEEK
The eighth-ranked University of Iowa field hockey team wraps up its regular season in Piscataway, New Jersey, to face No. 13 Rutgers on Friday at 2 p.m. (CT).
FOLLOW ON THE WEB
Iowa field hockey fans can follow all contest via live stats on hawkeyesports.com. Click on the
“Live Stats” link found on the field hockey schedule page to access the live stats feed.
WATCH LIVE
Friday’s game against No. 13 Rutgers will be streamed on BTN Plus. To see if your cable package
gives you access to BTN Plus content, sign up for BTN Plus, or learn more about it visit btn2go.
com.
SCOUTING NO. 13 RUTGERS
• Rutgers is 11-4 with a 4-3 conference record, best for sixth place in the Big Ten. Rutgers is riding a three-game win streak, including a win on the road against No. 15 Northwestern.
• Meredith Civico is in her seventh season at the helm of the Rutgers field hockey program. She has won 52 games over six season and led the Scarlet Knights to a 9-9 record last season.
• Four Scarlet Knights have scored at least six goals this season with Daphne Groothuis leading the team with 11 goals and 12 assists for 34 points, the second most in the Big Ten. Goalkeeper Gianna Glatz is 11-4 with 62 saves, the second most in the Big Ten.
• The Hawkeyes are 6-2-1 all-time against Rutgers with Iowa’s last win coming against the Scarlet Knights in 2015.
BIG TEN PLAY
Iowa is 4-3 in conference play, best for fourth in the Big Ten. With a win against No. 13 Rutgers, Iowa will solidify a Big Ten Tournament opening round game at Grant Field on Sunday, Oct. 28. Iowa has doubled its Big Ten opponents in shots (83 to 39) and penalty corner attempts (39 to 22). Maddy Murphy has been a force in conference play, scoring five goals, which is tied for the second most. Iowa’s defense, led by junior goalkeeper Leslie Speight has allowed the third fewest goals (9) in conference play.
WEEKEND RECAP
Iowa split a pair of top-10 Big Ten matchups over the weekend. On Friday, Oct. 12, the Hawkeyes defeated No. 6 Penn State, 3-2, behind Maddy Murphy’s first career hat trick. It marked Iowa’s fifth win over a top-25 opponent this season, first win over Penn State since 2014, and first win over a top-10 opponent since 2016. On Sunday, Oct. 14, Iowa fell in its home finale against No. 2 Maryland, 2-1. Ellie Holley scored Iowa’s lone goal, but the Hawkeyes could not capitalize down the stretch, despite having eight penalty corners. Sunday was senior day for four Hawkeyes: Makenna Grewe, Isabella Brown, Riley Kniptash, and manager Liam Norton.
HAWKEYE HIGHLIGHTS
• Iowa’s 3-2 victory over No. 6 Penn State was its first over the Nittany Lions since 2014. It also marked Iowa’s first win over a top-10 opponent since 2016.
• Iowa finished its four-game homestand 2-2 against four top-21 teams. The Hawkeyes claimed victories over No. 21 Stanford and No. 6 Penn State and fell to No. 6 Michigan and No. 2 Maryland.
• The Hawkeyes are 6-2 at home this season and are 3-2 away from home. Iowa is 8-0 when scoring at least three goals and is 5-4 against top-25 opponents.
• Maddy Murphy recorded her first career hat trick on Friday, Oct. 12 against Penn State to push her goal total to 13. Murphy’s 13 goals are the second most in the conference behind Michigan’s Emma Way who has scored 16 goals. The Riana, Tasmania, native has four game-winning goals this year, which is tied for the Big Ten’s most. Murphy’s 32 points are the third most in the Big Ten. She has already surpassed her season totals from her freshman year when she scored 11 goals and recorded 25 points.
• Katie Birch’s seven goals are the second most on the team and her eight assists lead the team.
MURPHY EARNS B1G HONORS
Sophomore forward Maddy Murphy was named Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week on Monday. Murphy recorded her first career hat trick in Iowa’s 3-2 win against No. 6 Penn State. Murphy’s trio of goals marked Iowa’s first win over Penn State since 2014 and first victory over a top-10 opponent since 2016. The Riana, Tasmania, native added an assist to her seven-point weekend. Murphy’s game-wnning goal against No. 6 Penn State was her fourth of the season, which is tied for the most in the Big Ten. It was Murphy’s first weekly honor of the season and second of her career.
SHARING THE WEALTH
Six Hawkeyes have scored at least three goals, while 11 different Hawkeyes have scored a goal this season. Of Iowa’s 43 goals, 35 have been assisted on. Katie Birch leads the team with nine assists — tied for the third most in the Big Ten, while six other Hawkeyes have at least three assists.
DOMINANT DEFENSE
Led by junior goalkeeper Leslie Speight, the Hawkeye defense has seven shutouts this season. Iowa’s backline has only surrendered 14 goals on 96 shots and 50 penalty corners in 16 games, while Iowa’s offense has scored 43 goals on 219 shots with 98 penalty corner attempts. Iowa’s stifling defense allows a Big Ten best 0.85 goals per game, which is the fourth best nationally.
FANTASTIC FRESHMEN
All seven freshman have seen the field this season. Freshmen Anthe Nijziel and Lokke Stribos have started all 16 games and have played a key part in the Hawkeye defense. Nijziel, who earned Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Week on Sept. 17, has 10 points on four goals and two assists this season. Stribos recorded her fourt assist in Iowa’s 3-2 win over No. 6 Penn State. Freshmen have accounted for six goals and six assists this season.
NATIONALLY SPEAKING
Seven Big Ten schools — No. 2 Maryland, No. 6 Penn State, No. 7 Iowa, No. 7 Michigan, No. 13 Rutgers, No. 17 Northwestern, and No. 21 Ohio State — are ranked in the latest Penn Monto/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll. Iowa has moved up 13 spots since being ranked 20th in the preseason rankings on Aug. 20. It’s Iowa’s highest ranking since Sept. 2014. The Hawkeyes finish the regular season facing 10 top-25 opponents and four top-10 opponents. Iowa is 5-4 against ranked opponents this season with wins over No. 14 Wake Forest, No. 25 California, No. 23 Ohio State, No. 21 Stanford, and No. 6 Penn State. All of Iowa’s losses this season were from ranked opponents with three of them only coming by one goal. Friday’s game against Rutgers will be Iowa’s sixth straight game against an opponent inside the top-25.
ROZ ELLIS RETURNS
Former two-time first team All-Big Ten selection and three-time Big Ten Tournament Champion, Roz Ellis, is back with the Hawkeyes as an assistant coach. Ellis started all 83 games of her career, scored 14 goals, and recorded 11 assists from 2005-08. Ellis was an assistant coach at five different schools before returning to her alma mater. As a senior and team captain in 2008, Ellis anchored a Hawkeye defense that reached the Final Four, which was Iowa’s first appearance since 1999.
IOWA 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.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Hawkeyes have a week off after their regular season finale, before the Big Ten Tournament starts on Oct. 28.
