Shutout No. 3: No. 2 Iowa Slams Ohio, 8-0

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The second-ranked University of Iowa field hockey team never stopped scoring in an 8-0 victory over Ohio on Friday afternoon at Grant Field.  The shutout is the Hawkeyes third straight and it moves Iowa’s record to 5-0 – the team’s best start to the season since 2001 when the team won its first six contests.

Iowa’s offense pushed the pace from the opening whistle and pressured the Bobcats all game, outshooting Ohio, 33-2, with a 24-0 advantage in shots on goal.  Seven Hawkeyes accounted for the team’s eight goals on the afternoon.

“We had seven players score and we came out fast and that’s what we wanted,” said senior Ellie Holley. “I am excited that other people got to play.  I love these games because we try to encourage everyone. With so many people on our team this year, it was fantastic so many people got on and got those minutes to gain that confidence.”

The Hawkeyes struck first in the fourth minute when Holley took it to the cage unassisted to make the score 1-0.  Just 41 seconds later, senior Lokke Stribos notched a goal off a corner courtesy of assists by Holley and senior Maddy Murphy.

In the ninth minute the score moved to 3-0 when sophomore Sofie Stribos scored an unassisted goal and Iowa kept its foot on the gas from there, pushing three more goals across in the second quarter.

Holley put back her second goal off an Iowa corner and minutes later, senior Emily Deuell registered her first goal of the season, extending Iowa’s lead, 5-0.  In the 23rd minute, senior Ciara Smith made it six nil with following an assist from Nikki Freeman.

The Hawkeyes utilized their reserves in the second half and put two more goals on the board.  In the 35th minute, senior Leah Zellner put in Iowa’s seventh goal of the day off a rebound and senior Meghan Conroy’s strike in the 56th minutes – off an assist from Emily Deuell – capped the scoring.

HEAR FROM COACH CELLUCCI
“The key to the game was starting fast. That was a key to our game plan was to be able to put them under pressure immediately and take the wind out of their sails.  The way we built the ball forward was fantastic and we had some great finishes early on.

“To have so many people on the board was fantastic. A lot that is a tribute to our back three and screen players in how they build the ball forward with possession to set those guys up so well. It was great to see those guys ready and have the ability to finish.”

NOTABLES

  • Iowa’s eight goals are the most for the team since scoring 11 goals in an 11-0 win over Central Michigan in 2019.
  • Seven different players scored, giving Iowa 23 goals in five games. Eleven different players have scored on the year with Holley and Lokke Stribos leading the way with four goals apiece.
  • Senior goalkeeper Grace McGuire has posted three consecutive shutouts, and Iowa’s defense has allowed just seven shots in the three games. It is the team’s longest shutout streak since four straight to open the 2020 season.
  • Twenty-three players saw field time in the game.

UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes host Saint Louis on Sunday at 1 p.m. (CT) at Grant Field. The game will be streamed on BTN+.