Ingles’ Hat-Trick Lifts Hawkeyes Past Illinois

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The University of Iowa soccer team picked up its 10^th win of the season on Sunday with a 3-2 victory over Illinois at the Iowa Soccer Complex. Sophomore Meike Ingles drilled three goals to secure the win on Senior Day.

The Hawkeyes never trailed, as Ingles struck first with nine minutes to play in the first period off an assist from senior Hailey Rydberg. Ingles, who was named Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Offensive Player last season, took the dish from Rydberg, sliced through the box, and made Illini keeper Julia Cili miss one-on-one.

Iowa carried the 1-0 lead into halftime, but the Illini answered with a score in the 57^th minute by veteran midfielder Hope Breslin.

From there, both teams traded goals, starting with Ingles’ second score of the day as the Michigan native used fancy footwork fire a shot past four surrounding Illini defenders.

Illinois would equalize three minutes later with a score from Sydney Stephens off an assist from Aleah Treiterer.

With nine minutes left in regulation, Walker passed to Ingles at the top right corner of the box. Facing down an Illini defender, Ingles buried a shot to the top left corner of the net over Cili’s outstretched arms. The Hawkeye defense would hold the rest of the way to secure the win.

HEAR FROM HEAD COACH DAVE DIANNI
“This is the second game in a row where we have faced a little bit of adversity… On Senior Day players can often be flat, but they weren’t. I thought they pretty focused and driven. I think our bench was good for the second game in a row, where our bench comes in for the last 20 minutes of the second half and impacts the game, and we get a goal. The bench was good, the fight was great.

[Ingles] is a special player. I think she gets her success and confidence from training well and being healthy. You saw one goal turn into three, and all three goals were pretty similar. We talk a lot about how whether you start or don’t start we are going to need five or six players in each position to be able to be successful. She bought into coming off the bench today and she did a great job.

HAWKEYE NOTABLES

• Ingles’ three goals tie a school record for points in a single game; the last Hawkeye to complete a hat-trick was Devin Burns on August 31^st, 2017, against Southern Utah.
• Prior to Sunday’s game, the University of Iowa soccer program recognized nine graduating seniors. They include Riley Whitaker, Skylar Alward, Alyssa Wlaker, Olivia Hellweg, Courtney Powell, Grace Necker, Adrianna Naumoski, Samantha Tawharu, and Riley Burns.
• The Hawkeyes are undefeated in their last 31 games when scoring two goals or more. Since the start of the 2018 season, Iowa has a record of 30-0-1 when scoring two goals or more. That includes a 9-0 record in 2021, 2-0 in 2020, 13-0-1 in 2019 and 5-0 in 2018. The Hawkeyes won their final two games in 2017 when scoring two-plus goals. The last time Iowa lost a game while netting at least two goals was Oct. 1, 2017 at Michigan State (L, 3-2).
• 90 TRACKER: Sara Wheaton (15), Samantha Cary (10), and Riley Whitaker (three) each played the entirety of Sunday’s game. Eleven total Hawkeye position players have registered at least 90 minutes in a game so far this season. They include Rielee Fetty (nine), Addie Bundy (four), Olivia Hellweg (two), Hailey Rydberg (2), Miah Schueller, Aleisha Ganief, Courtny Powell, and Kenzie Roling.

UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes host Minnesota on October 21st at the Iowa Soccer Complex. Kickoff against the Golden Gophers is set for 7 p.m. (CT).