No. 16 Iowa will host Rutgers in its first Big Ten match.
By Mario Williams
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The 4-3 Iowa field-hockey team is set today for its biggest challenge yet, 4-1 Rutgers.
The Hawkeyes have played only nonconference teams this season and believes that has set it up for success heading into today’s matchup.
“Nononference play was definitely practice, but those games really mattered, too,” junior Stephanie Norlander said. “But going into Friday, Big Ten play, that’s even more important, so we’re looking to come on top.”
Today, the Hawkeyes will try to stop a fierce Big Ten team that’s been on top thus far. Rutgers hasn’t played a Big Ten opponent yet, either, but when it comes to the stat sheet, the Scarlet Knights have the numbers.
Rutgers averages 4.0 goals per game and averages 20.80 shots per game. Iowa averages 3.57 goals per game and 17.43 shots per game.
In order for the Hawkeyes to compete, junior Chandler Ackers said, they need to improve on game management. Last week, the team took a tough loss against No. 6 Stanford after the game had been tied for much of the second half. Ackers hopes her teammates won’t let that be the circumstance today.
“We really need to just keep possession, not turn the ball over as much, and really know the situation and what it calls for,” she said.
Iowa head coach Lisa Cellucci said Rutgers excels in outletting the field, pressing, ball movement, and over-throwing.
But, she believes, some of the Hawk’s skills thus far this season have been making solid transitions — something Rutgers does, too.
“It’s going to be a really interesting game,” Cellucci said. “They’ve scored a lot of goals just like we have this season, so I think it could be a very even match, and it’s going to end up being who can capitalize and who can defend.”
Today marks Rutgers’ first road game of the season. Iowa has played three home games thus far and looksforward to defend home field.
“The girls have a lot of excitement just knowing it’s our first Big Ten home game,” Cellucci said. “It’s basically kind of a new season that starts.”
Field hockey in the Big Ten is fairly aggressive and tough and for many underclassmen on the squad, this is a new style of play.
With Norlander’s experience in the Big Ten play, she wants fierceness in practice for the young players.
“I think that the Big Ten play is always physical and aggressive,” Norlander said. “There’s no point of going easy on each other just to get roughed on in the game.”
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