The Iowa soccer team will conclude its season Saturday, when the Hawkeyes take on Purdue at the Iowa Soccer Complex. This game will provide the Hawkeyes an opportunity to bounce back with a win headed into the Big Ten Tournament and potentially improve their seeding.

But for now, let’s look back at how the Hawkeyes got to this point.

Wins in a season — 12 (tied for 4th in Big Ten)

The only reason this statistic is important for the Hawkeyes is where they could fall historically speaking for the Iowa program.

The most wins ever recorded by an Iowa team in program history is 13. They accomplished this in 1999 and 2011. With a win against Purdue, this team could tie that record, and if this team manages to win a few games in the postseason tournaments, it could accumulate the most wins in program history.

Goals per game — 30 (10th in Big Ten)

This year’s Hawkeye squad has taken the same approach to winning games as any other Ron Rainey led program of year’s past. That is to get an early lead and then to play relatively conservative to protect that lead.

Iowa is likely not going to win any shootouts. The most goals the Hawks have scored in a regular season game this season is 3 — they scored 4 in an exhibition match against Milwaukee.

Goals allowed — 20 (6th in Big Ten)

Luckily for the Hawkeyes, they don’t need much offensive firepower to win. While they only average 1.67 goals per game, they only allow 1.11 goals per game.

This ranks sixth in the Big Ten, but that ranking can be deceiving — four teams fall within the range of 16-20 goals allowed all season. Iowa could have easily found itself near the top of this list if you exclude its latest match, against Ohio State, in which the Hawkeyes gave up 3 goals — their most allowed all season.

Saves — 58 (12th in Big Ten)

This stat is in no way a knock against Iowa’s goalkeeper Hannah Clark. Instead it just goes to show how the Hawkeyes defense has gone about not allowing many shots to be attempted.

Opponents are averaging just 10.2 shots per game this season. To put that in comparison, the Hawkeyes are averaging 16.9 shots per game — sixth in the Big Ten.

This bodes well for the Hawkeyes come tournament time, because they won’t have to rely on Clark to make save after save. Instead, in limiting their opponent’s chances at the goal, this gives the Hawkeyes the best chance of winning using their method of gaining a lead and then keeping it.

Players with 4 or more goals — 5

What the Hawkeyes have lacked in firepower, they have made up for in a balanced offensive scoring attack. Two players on their team have 3 goals, three players have 4 goals, and two players have 5 goals.

Leading the charge is Ashley Catrell and Melanie Pickert, who each have five goals on the season.

This unpredictability should help — and has helped — the Hawkeyes late in matches when a goal is needed and the defense is likely to key in on forwards Cloe Lacasse and Catrell.