By Margaret Kispert
The theme for the 2016-17 Hawkeye soccer season is writing a new story. With seven new faces in the program and two redshirt freshmen, a new story is not only possible but exactly what the Hawkeyes need.
Head coach Dave DiIanni said the team has a talented group of women, but they are young and will need to “grow up” fast in order to be ready for conference play. The Hawkeyes went 6-1 in nonconference play last season but ended up 7-10-1 at the end of Big Ten play. He’ll need his veteran players to lead by example. Especially senior forward Bri Toelle. He said he needed Toelle to step up as a player and be a leader for the new team. She has taken the advice in stride and has worked hard in the spring and summer to do so.
The senior forward said she believes the Hawks are a more athletic team than in years past, and she is excited to play with them. Toelle comes back as one of the team’s top scorers (5 goals and 5 assists) along with junior midfielder Karly Stuenkel (5 goals and 2 assists.) When Toelle was asked what the freshmen can bring to the table, she said they bring more depth. That depth and talent means more substitutions, which can help with consistently having fresh legs on the field.
The team will need those fresh legs, especially now that they have something to prove to the Big Ten. Redshirt sophomore forward Rose Ripslinger said it is “unacceptable” the Big Ten put the team 12th out of 13, and that should provide fuel for the team.
The incoming freshman class has gotten a taste of what competition is like with matches versus Creighton on Aug. 19 and Missouri on Sunday.
The match against Creighton didn’t go as planned; rain poured down on the Hawkeyes’ opener, and they fell to the Bluejays, 5-3.
Creighton’s Darby Hugunin and Callie Hawkins both scored first-half goals to put the Bluejays ahead going into the half, 2-0.
Iowa’s redshirt Rachele Armand and Stuenkel both scored early goals in the second half to tie the game up, but the Hawkeyes fell behind again.
A second goal from Hawkins and another by Jaylin Bosak put the Bluejays up, 4-2, and goals from Iowa’s Kaleigh Haus and Creighton’s Hannah Miller finished the day at 5-3.
DiIanni said it was a rough game and not how the team wanted to start the season. But, he said, it was great experience for his young team to fix the problems before its next match, which was against a team known for its success and athleticism.
Iowa faced off against Missouri in Columbia on Sunday, winning 2-1 in overtime.
DiIanni said he was pleased with the effort of his team.
Missouri’s Melanie Donaldson was the first (and last) Tiger to score, hitting in the 17th minute, and Iowa got goals from Devin Burns in the 83rd minute and Isabella Blackman in overtime to seal the victory.