IOWA CITY, Iowa – Senior Sara Wheaton’s 54th-minute goal proved to be the game winner in the University of Iowa soccer team’s 2-1 Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series victory over Iowa State on Thursday night at the Iowa Soccer Complex.
The win moves the Hawkeyes to 3-0 for the second time in three seasons. Iowa has won 11 of the last 13 meetings over Iowa State.
Wheaton’s first goal of the season came off a free kick following an Iowa State red card issued to Tyra Shand. Freshman Addie Bundy served a ball to the cutting Wheaton who beat Iowa State goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz to make the score 2-0.
The strike was Wheaton’s fifth career goal and she was the fourth Hawkeye to score this season.
Iowa State cut its deficit in half in the 74th- minute when Claudia Najera sent a through ball to set up a 1v1. The Cyclones’ Magdalena Keck found the back of the net, making the score 2-1.
The Hawkeyes took a 1-0 lead into the half when senior Courtney Powell scored on a 50-50 ball in the 22nd minute. Senior Hailey Rydberg lifted a ball to Powell, who chipped the ball past former teammate Silkowitz for her first goal as a Hawkeye. Powell transferred in the offseason after graduating from Iowa State.
“(Scoring) is something I have been waiting for the last four games, so it’s rewarding,” said Powell. “I think it will bring my confidence back. My season was dedicated to my dad and that goal was for him. It was emotional, but it felt good to get it and get the win.
“I had a lot of family and friends here tonight. It was hard playing without my dad in the stands, but having that extra support means the world and it feels good to win on our home field and in front of all these fans.”
DIIANNI SAYS
“I thought we were competitive for 90 minutes. You’re going to get a lot of emotion the first part of the game. We weaned off a little bit at the end of the first half and asked them to do three things in the second half. One was play in the width in the attacking half.
“Courtney and Kenzie both had quite a bit of success there. We wanted to keep the ball in their half (of the field). It was six shots to four at half and ended up 19-6 so I thought we had more quality shots. In the end we wanted to put more pressure on them passing out of the back. They were getting too deep and playing dangerous ball and I thought all three things we asked them to do they did.”
OF NOTE…
– The Hawkeyes have won seven straight games against Iowa State in Iowa City.
– Iowa controlled the game, out-shooting Iowa State, 19-6, in the game. Fourteen of the Hawkeyes shots were on goal.
– The Hawkeyes had an 11-0 advantage in corner kicks.
NEXT UP
The Hawkeyes return to action Sunday at Kansas. Kick is at 1 p.m. (CT) and the game is televised on ESPN+.
