Everything went according to the game plan for the Iowa soccer team Thursday night as it pummeled Southern Utah, 8-1.

After last weekend, when the Hawkeyes managed just 1 goal in two games, they spent the better part of this week focusing on offense.

Their hard work paid off, and after the game, head coach Dave DiIanni was ecstatic about how his team played.

“We spent a lot of time trying to work on our quality in the final 30 yards,” DiIanni said. “To see some of the fruits of our labor come to fruition in our game today was really quite exciting. I think for them to see when they work on things and focus on it, they’re going to get rewarded on the field.”

The scoring started early for the Hawkeyes, when sophomore forward Devin Burns scored in the second minute of the game to give the Hawkeyes a 1-0 lead.

Iowa never looked back from there.

Burns scored two more goals, one in the sixth minute and the other in the 11th minute, giving her a hat trick before the first half concluded.

Burns’ hat trick is the second one the Hawkeyes have recorded this year. Pairing with Burns’ was fellow sophomore forward Kaleigh Haus, who also had a goal Thursday night.

With her trifecta of goals, Burns equaled her goal total from last year and broke her three-game scoring drought to start the season.

“It feels great to get the first goal,” she said. “It was kind of hard the first three games because I love scoring. It’s hard to be in a slump. But scoring 3 goals I think it really helps, especially [for] the team. It’s going to help in the future knowing we can put that many goals away.”

The other scorers for the Hawkeyes were Olivia Fiegel (2), Sydney Blitchok, and Corey Burns.

Eight different Hawkeyes registered at least 1 assist in the game, with Natalie Winters and Laura Lainson recording 2 apiece.

Iowa needed a scoring outburst after it could only squeak out 1 goal last weekend.

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The hope remains that the offensive firepower against Southern Utah continues into the Hawkeyes’ next match.

“I think it was really good especially for the team in general to build that confidence up,” Fiegel said. “Even in a game where it is a 8-1 score line, getting that ball in the back of the net getting that feeling in so we can replicate it in future games.”

Iowa will need another strong offensive performance on Sept. 3, when it takes on the talented Cal-Santa Barbara (2-1), which won’t be as easy as the Thunderbirds.

But DiIanni is excited about his team taking on the challenge of another good unit after playing well against highly ranked Notre Dame on Aug. 27.

“I think continuing the momentum of understanding why we were successful,” he said. “I think in general it’s about dictating the play and being a bit more lethal in the final third. We’re excited about another big challenge. We felt like we let one slip against Notre Dame, and we’re excited to play a good team again.”