Hawkeye soccer seeks to get Cy-Hawk Series off to fast start
Iowa soccer has the first matchup of the Cy-Hawk Series today.
Iowa forward Kaleigh Haus wins a header during Iowa’s game against Central Michigan on Friday, Aug. 31, 2018. The Hawkeyes defeated the Chippewas 3-1.
September 6, 2018
Last season, Iowa soccer’s battle with Iowa State went down to the wire, needing overtime to determine a winner.
The defenses were staunch. The first 90 minutes passed without a goal from either side. But seven minutes of overtime was all the Hawkeyes needed to find the back of the net. Then-sophomore Kaleigh Haus ignited Iowa fans and earned the Black and Gold its first win in last year’s Cy-Hawk Series.
But the past is the past.
Iowa soccer will again lead the Hawkeyes into the Cy-Hawk Series today, marking a weekend full of Iowa-Iowa State festivities.
“It’s got a special recognition for our school and for our state,” Iowa head coach Dave DiIanni said. “Overall, we’re playing for a trophy — the Cy-Hawk Trophy. We also recognize that usually we’re the first out of the gates playing for that. We want to get our school, our city, and our university on the right foot in terms of scoring points for it.”
Iowa has won the last three matches with Iowa State and leads the all-time series 12-6-2.
“It’s just an in-state rivalry that everyone gets excited for — even the freshmen,” senior center back Morgan Kemerling said. “They don’t know the rivalry, the history, but we bring that to them and help them understand it so they bring it out on the field.”
The freshmen have repeatedly performed well for the Hawkeyes. At the Hawkeye Invitational, redshirt freshman Josie Durr notched 2 goals, and true freshman Olivia Hellweg scored another. The Cy-Hawk week adds another opportunity for them to compete.
“[Practice had] a lot more energy,” Hellweg said. “The upperclassmen talk it up. It shows in practice. We are high energy and ready to go. We want to get them on Friday.”
Iowa State plays a familiar style of soccer to the Hawkeyes. The Cyclone forwards are athletic and pressure defenders. Iowa State only holds a 1-4-1 record, but it still poses a challenge.
“They’ve got some athleticism up top, and they’re very direct in nature and how they play,” DiIanni said. “We’ve played a lot of teams like that, and our backlines going to win a lot of balls in the air. We just need to control the ball and be smart with not giving up under pressure.
“The history of that game is who’s a better defensive team and who limits mistakes.”
Kemerling, a four-year starter, will be in the middle of the backline. Beside her will likely be freshman Sarah Wheaton and junior Hannah Drkulec.
But the frontline will see a new face: Iowa returns Devin Burns to the lineup this week. Burns led the Hawkeyes in goals scored last season with 9, but she has missed the first part of this season because of injury. Burns, a forward, will join Haus at the front of the Hawkeyes’ attacks against Iowa State.
But at the end of the day, anytime the two rivals meet, it comes down to who wants to win more.
“Sometimes when you get in a rivalry game, soccer goes out the window, and you got two teams who want to compete,” DiIanni said.
