Jordan Zuniga
Iowa soccer has spent its last few seasons in the Big Ten cellar.
The Hawkeyes hope to change that this year, and one of the women leading the charge is sophomore forward Olivia Fiegel.
In three games this season, the Black and Gold have scored 6 goals; Fiegel can lay claim to 3.
Fiegel’s latest goal came Aug. 25 in Iowa’s game against Iowa State, when she scored the game-winning goal in extra time.
“There’s just something about scoring against Iowa State,” Fiegel said. “It just has such a big feeling and impact within yourself. I would honestly rank it as one of my favorite goals.”
Last year, Fiegel played in 15 games, starting two. In those games, Fiegel registered 2 goals and 1 assist.
This year, Fiegel has gotten the start in all three of the Hawkeyes games and has logged 140 minutes in those matches.
The confidence she gained from last season has had the biggest impact on her success so far this year.
“Just growing more confidence in myself,” Fiegel said when asked about the difference between this year and last year. “I’ve been more comfortable with the team. We’ve all been working harder together and working for each other, I think its really just the confidence.”
It hasn’t been smooth sailing for Fiegel in every game, however.
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After her stellar performance against Iowa State, she struggled to get going in the first half of the Aug. 27 game against Notre Dame.
“I thought she was flat to start the game,” coach Dave DiIanni said. “She’s young still and it takes time to learn how to understand how to bounce back physically and mentally from a Sunday game after a Friday game. But to her credit she bounced back and had a good second half, and that is going to be a positive momentum builder as we move on.”
Fiegel isn’t the only Hawkeye sophomore who has made major contributions so far this season.
The other three Iowa goals have come off the foot of sophomore forward Kaleigh Haus.
Natalie Winters is another sophomore who has made big contributions to the team this year; she totaled 3 assists so far.
In Iowa’s contest against Notre Dame, DiIanni started seven sophomores in a game it lost 2-0.
“They’re a talented class,” DiIanni said. “They work really hard, and they love it. My first year we had a really big senior class, and they were not only talented but strong and committed as a group to be successful, and I see some of those character traits in this sophomore group. On the same token we’re getting great senior leadership, and they’re leading by example for these sophomores.”
DiIanni and the rest of the Hawkeyes hope that Fiegel and her fellow sophomores can continue to produce and grow throughout the season.
Iowa’s next game will be at 7 p.m. Aug. 31 against Southern Utah at the Iowa Soccer Complex.
