No. 9 Hawkeyes Fall to Wisconsin

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The No. 9 ranked University of Iowa soccer team fell to Wisconsin, 2-1, on Thursday at Iowa Soccer Complex. The Hawkeyes move to 10-1-3 on the season and 5-1-1 in conference. The Hawkeyes were just one of three unbeaten teams remaining in the country.

Graduate student Maggie Johnston converted on a penalty kick in the 18th minute to give Iowa a 1-0 advantage early in the game. Iowa was granted a penalty kick after Wisconsin got called for a hand ball in the box. The goal was Johnston’s second of the season. Both of Johnston’s goals have come off penalty kicks.

The Hawkeyes outshot the Badgers five to one in the first half and had five corner kicks to their three. Wisconsin goalkeeper Drew Stover had one save in the first half for the Badgers. At the break, Iowa led Wisconsin 1-0.

The Badgers then converted on a penalty kick of their own in the 73rd minute to tie the game at one a piece. Aryssa Mahrt took the penalty kick for Wisconsin. Wisconsin’s Maia Richters then took the lead for the Badgers with a goal in the 76th minute.

Wisconsin outshot Iowa seven to four in the second half and had five corner kicks to Iowa’s two. Graduate student Macy Enneking had one save in the second half for the Hawkeyes while Mahrt also had a save for the Badgers.

The Hawkeyes had scoring opportunities late but were unable to convert as they dropped their first game of the season, 1-2.

HEAR FROM HEAD COACH DAVE DIIANNI
“I thought we played pretty well in the first half. The end of the first half they started doing some things to us tactically that we talked about at halftime. We made a little bit of a system change, but we started slow.”

“We’ll look back and see what we could’ve done better. I think the pressure can be great to be successful and perfect. Ultimately, momentum is very powerful when it goes for you and when it goes against you, and that was the second half for us.”

HAWKEYE NOTABLES
– Before tonight, Iowa was just one of three teams in the country without a loss.
– Macy Enneking is two victories away from tying former Hawkeye Claire Graves (2016-19) for most career victories.
– 90 Tracker: Miah Schueller, Millie Greer, and Maggie Johnston were the three Hawkeye position players to register 90 minutes on Thursday. 18 Hawkeyes registered minutes against the Badgers.

UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes hit the road and travel to Piscataway, New Jersey, where they will take on Rutgers on Sunday. The game kicks off at 12:00 p.m. (CT) and will be streamed on B1G+ (subscription required).