By Andrew Donlan
The Iowa soccer team (7-10) lost in disappointing fashion to Illinois (6-10-1) on Sunday to ruin the final home game for the four seniors who were being honored on Senior Day.
Natalie Winters scored Iowa’s lone goal in the 87th-minute, and the Hawkeyes fell, 2-1.
Iowa put forth an uninspired effort against a lowly Illinois team, which picked up just its sixth win of the season.
The Hawkeyes dropped to 1-8 in Big Ten play and are now tied for last place. Seniors Bri Toelle, Amanda Lulek, Tory Harman, and Natalie Krygier were recognized before the game.
“We had a great group of seniors in terms of their collective careers,” said head coach Dave DiIanni after the game. “All four played different roles both on the field and off the field and in community service, and we are really proud to have had them as part of the Hawkeye program.”
Illinois’ goals came in the ninth and 84th minute from Kara Marbury and Taylore Peterson, respectively. The Illini also out-shot the Hawkeyes 11-8.
The showing from the Hawkeyes was in contrast to their passionate play on Oct. 13 in a heartbreaking loss to Northwestern (13-1-2). In both cases, the Hawkeyes seemed to be playing to their opponent’s level of play, but unfortunately for Iowa, neither time led to a tally in the win column.
“Mentality-wise and physically, we were beaten before we even stepped out on the field,” said coach Dave DiIanni. “I will give credit to our subs who came in and brought some energy to the back end of the first half and the beginning of the second half.”
Winters, a freshman from Plymouth, Michigan, scored in the last few minutes of the game, assisted by Devin Burns. It was Winters’ second goal of the season, and the only shot she attempted during the course of the game.
Iowa now has just two more tries to improve its conference record. The Hawkeyes take on Maryland and Nebraska in their final two matches of the season — both games will be on the road.
Nebraska is 10-5-2 and above .500 in conference, while Maryland is 3-13-1 and also just 1-8 in conference play. The final two games will take place on Friday in College Park, Maryland, and Oct. 26 in Lincoln, Nebraska.
The Hawkeyes have officially squandered any chances of going .500 on the season; they now sit at 7-10 with just two games left. They have only won two games on the road and have now lost four-straight overall.
Iowa is 1-10 in its last 11 games after starting the season 6-0.
Although the Hawkeyes have struggled mightily in the second half of the season, the effort is usually there. On Sunday, it wasn’t.
“Unfortunately, as a team, we chose to be flat for the first time all year,” DiIanni said.