Iowa field hockey falls to Maryland in Big Ten Tournament Championship
Iowa field hockey couldn’t bring home gold in the Big Ten Tournament, falling to Maryland, 2-1, for the second time this season.
Iowa players cool down on the sidelines after the Championship Game in the Big Ten Field Hockey Tournament at Lakeside Field in Evanston, IL on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2018. The no. 2 ranked Terrapins defeated the no. 8 ranked Hawkeyes 2-1.
November 4, 2018
When the Hawkeyes and Terrapins met previously this season, Maryland was victorious, winning, 2-1, at Iowa’s last regular season game on Grant Field.
On Nov. 4 the sixth-seeded Iowa field hockey team played for the Big Ten Tournament title against top-seeded Maryland in Evanston, Illinois, and lost again, 2-1.
Just five minutes into the match, Maryland’s Madison Maguire – an older sister of Iowa’s Makenna Maguire – put the Terrapins up 1 on their first shot of the match. Maguire’s goal was the only one of the first period and Maryland led, 1-0, going into the half.
Terrapin Bibi Donraadt extended Maryland’s lead to 2-0 at 42 minutes in off an assist from Linnea Gonzales. Four minutes later, the Hawkeyes responded. Junior Katie Birch, assisted by senior Makenna Grewe, put Iowa on the scoreboard, narrowing the deficit to 2-1.
The Hawkeye offense didn’t let up, recording 6 shots in the second period, but Terrapin goalkeeper Sarah Holliday protected her net. Holliday registered 5 saves throughout the match, 3 of which came in the second period.
“Our group is really disappointed as we had opportunities in the second half to put goals on the board and we didn’t finish,” head coach Lisa Cellucci said in a release. “I am proud of the way we battled and thought our defensive game plan was executed well.”
Iowa substituted an 11th field player for goalkeeper Leslie Speight with four minutes to go, but the Hawkeyes couldn’t put away the equalizer.
Although the Hawkeyes outshot the Terrapins, 9-5, Maryland was triumphant over Iowa with a 2-1 victory – its 11th straight win over the Hawkeyes. The Terrapins were awarded 5 penalty corners, 2 more than Iowa.
Iowa now holds a season record of 14-6. The Hawkeyes earned a spot in the Big Ten Tournament finals after their 2-1 semifinal victory over second-seeded Michigan on Oct. 2.
Sophomore Mya Christopher scored the first and only goal in the first period of the match, unassisted. Grewe provided Iowa with some comfort when she scored a second Hawkeye goal eight minutes into the second period, assisted by Birch.
Wolverine Emma Way fought back and scored for Michigan, but it wouldn’t be enough. Despite 4-straight Michigan penalty corners in the final minute of play, the Hawkeyes earned a spot in the championship. This was the first time since 2013 the Hawkeyes earned a spot in the game.
