It was a tough year for Iowa soccer, though to call it a disappointment isn’t exactly correct.

By Courtney Baumann
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Iowa soccer this fall experienced a losing season for the first time since 2009. The team’s 7-10-1 record is its worst since 2006, when the Hawkeyes went 6-11-2.

All the evidence is there to call Iowa’s season a disappointment, a setback, a failure. But it wasn’t, at least not really.

Last year, the Hawkeyes graduated 10 seniors — the largest class to leave in more than 10 years and also Iowa’s class with the most victories in program history.

One of those who graduated last year was Cloe Lacasse, who finished her career tied for first in all-time points for Iowa and second in program history for goals. Melanie Pickert, who was named the Iowa Defensive Player of the Year four times in a row, was another graduate.

What was most detrimental to the Hawkeyes this season was that they could not figure out how to fill the huge hole that was left by the standout pair.

Iowa scored 20 goals in 2015. Last season, Lacasse and Pickert alone combined for 19. The rest of the team added 14 more.

And the injuries that plagued the Hawkeyes all season sure did not help. Close to one-third of the team could not play at some point throughout the season, and many of those saw their season end much earlier than expected.

Many had high hopes for those who lost their season, some for the second year in a row. Jenna Kentgen and Rose Ripslinger were supposed to be a large part of the answer to the “Who will score goals now that Lacasse is gone?” problem. The two combined to play in just 12 games.

Junior Corey Burns, who was seen as a huge voice on the pitch, competed in the first three games of the season and missed every one after that.

Natalie Krygier, who was Iowa’s Newcomer of the Year in 2014 and could have been a great presence on the field, did not play at all.

Instead of a failure, 2015 should be seen as a rebuilding year. The team STET 10 upperclassmen and 19 underclassmen — 14 of which were either freshmen or redshirt freshmen.

Next year, the Hawkeyes will welcome 10 more freshmen. Again, the team will be mostly underclassmen — but it should not be seen that way.

The freshmen this year saw either as much or almost as much game time as the upperclassmen because the team was so short on experience. Freshman Kyrie Seying was one of four Hawkeyes to start every game this season. Freshmen Alina Magruder and Hannah Kousheh played in every game. Six additional freshmen played in at least half of the games, most only missing two or three.

Needless to say, they gained invaluable experience.

Of course, Iowa will miss Hannah Clark anchoring the team as goalkeeper, a position that she has played exceptionally during her four years with the Hawkeyes. Her accolades are unarguable — she leads Iowa with 36 wins and is first in the record books for career shutouts (26), victories in a single season (15), and shutouts in a single season (10).

Whoever takes her place, whether Tina Cardamone, Emma Rigby, or an incoming freshman, will have some big shoes to fill. Iowa’s defensive line should ease the pressure a bit, though, with the help of returning players Amanda Lulek, Rachele Armand, Karsen Rauch, Seying, and Burns — if and when she is well enough.

No one can say for sure whether next season will be different for the Hawkeyes, but do not be surprised if it is.

Iowa’s 2015 season did not go the way the Hawkeyes and head coach Dave DiIanni had hoped. The season should not be called a disappointment, but players were disappointed. Maybe next season will end in a similar, early fashion because the team is so young once again.

But maybe it won’t.

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