On its first weekend series, the Iowa soccer team posted two shutouts to tally its first and second wins of the season, beating Montana on Aug. 28 and South Dakota State on Sunday, 2-0.

After sluggish starts in both first halves, the Hawkeyes (2-1) turned up the intensity to score three of their four goals in the second halves. Knowing the tough nonconference competition, head coach Ron Rainey was ecstatic to see his team’s focus and patience.

“I’m excited about how our team approached the games,” he said. I think maybe we have to train a little better so we can come and do well as we start each game. To get two 2-0 wins, we’re pretty happy.”

Iowa took the lead against the Grizzlies in the 23rd minute, when sophomore Morgan Showalter sliced and diced through four defenders for an unassisted goal. Sophomore Alyssa Cosnek sealed the win with a goal off of a pass by Jackie Kaeding in the 83rd minute.

The Hawkeyes had total control of the Jackrabbits on Sunday, but nothing to show for it after 70 minutes of play. Enter Showalter in the 71st minute, this time tapping in a ball off an Alyscha Mottershead header. Senior Alex Seydel knocked in a penalty kick in the 87th minute for insurance. Iowa out-shot South Dakota State 13-3.

“The second half, it’s been good to see us come out like that each game,” Rainey said. “Not only scoring some goals, but also not getting stretched out all over the field to allow teams a chance to attack against us. If we shut out opponents, the worst we can do is tie, so I like how we progressed after our first game against Missouri.”

Showalter has had a hot foot to start the season, leading the Hawkeyes with three goals in three games. She led the team in assists last season with nine, which also ranked second in the Big Ten.

On Sunday, she was asked if she could keep up the pace with her new role.

“I’ll try,” she said. “Last year, it was an assist thing. I’ll have to try to get back to that. I mean, I like to score, but I’m more of an assist person.”

Seydel applauded the defense for creating so many chances for the offense.

“What we really want is our defense to be on the same page first, because if you can keep that clean sheet like we have this weekend, then we’re going to give our offense opportunities to put the ball in the net,” she said.

Rainey praised Seydel and Mottershead in particular for having a solid weekend, as well as the entire defense anchored by goalkeeper Emily Moran. The sophomore has played every minute in goal for Iowa this fall and recorded her third and fourth shutouts of her young career over the weekend with three total saves.

Not all of Iowa’s weekend was positive, however. With less than a minute and a half remaining against Montana, senior midfielder Heather Windsor went down and had to be carted off the field.

The co-captain tore every ligament in her ankle, and she is expected to be out for about a month.

“That is a big downer,” Moran said. “She is a great player on the field, and she’s a great motivator. Thankfully, we still have her as a motivator off the field even though she isn’t playing.”