The Iowa soccer team lost, 2-0, at the Iowa Soccer Complex to Wisconsin.
By Courtney Baumann
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Once again left without the presence of Corey Burns and Jenna Kentgen because of injuries, the Iowa soccer team dropped to 0-5-1 in Big Ten play with a loss to Wisconsin at the Iowa Soccer Complex on Thursday.
Although the team started out strong, things started to go downhill after Wisconsin scored the first goal of the game.
The Badgers struck with a little under 18 minutes into the game on a goal from Marisa Kresge with an assist from Victoria Pickett.
“We had a mental lapse during the first goal, and that played into how things happened the rest of the game,” senior goalkeeper Hannah Clark said. “It’s a punch in the face when we get scored on, and we need to handle that in different ways. We just haven’t been able to punch back.”
There has become an ongoing trend that Iowa starts out strong in the first half but seems to be an entirely different team in the second. It was the same story again.
Iowa head coach Dave DiIanni sees it as an issue with inexperience and inconsistency, not lack of ability.
“We’re fighting to be consistent,” he said. “We need to be more consistent.”
The team’s youth has been a large factor all year, and it came obviously in play against a Wisconsin team that started only one underclassman.
Comparatively, Iowa started only five upperclassmen.
The team, upperclassmen especially, has handled the issue with youth well throughout the season, but junior Amanda Lulek admitted it is a bit frustrating at times.
“I was a freshman once; I made the same mistakes they make. I think back to that and remember that my seniors didn’t get mad at me, so that’s what I try to do when I get frustrated,” Lulek said. “I try not to get negative with them; I just try to slow it down.”
She is excited to see what is to come, though. The native of Geneva, Illinois, said the huge number of minutes the freshmen experience this season will benefit the team in the years to come.
Even without the momentum the Hawkeyes desperately needed, the score remained 1-0 Badgers heading into halftime.
Midway through the second half that the Badgers struck again. Wisconsin senior Kinley McNicoll scored the goal unassisted after a handball in the box on Iowa resulted in a penalty kick.
The Hawkeyes had next to no real opportunities to score during the game, which has been a continuing struggle. The team took only four shots throughout the entire game. Wisconsin took 22.
There was only one other game in which the Hawks took fewer shots — Michigan. They took three that day.
Iowa has two days off until meeting Minnesota, which is at the top of the Big Ten, at the Iowa Soccer Complex on Oct. 11.
“We need to be able to show some composure against a very good Minnesota team,” DiIanni said. “We’re excited to have two days off now so we should be able to be back to 100 percent on Sunday.”
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