Field hockey downs Northwestern, 2-1
On senior day, the Hawkeyes ended their home slate of games with a comeback win against the Wildcats.
Iowa players celebrate their victory during a field hockey game between Iowa and Northwestern at Grant Field on Saturday Oct. 26, 2019. The Hawkeyes defeated the Wildcats 2-1.
October 26, 2019
No. 8 Iowa field hockey took to Grant Field for the final time this season to beat No. 10 Northwestern on Saturday, 2-1.
The Hawkeyes pushed through a tough battle in the first and second periods, as both the Hawkeyes and Wildcats played stellar defense. The Hawkeyes were able to put up four shots on the goal in comparison to Northwestern’s two shots by halftime. Despite the low number of shots, the Wildcats took a 1-0 lead into halftime.
“Northwestern is a top 10, fantastic team and we were able to stick to the game plan today,” head coach Lisa Cellucci said.
The Hawkeyes finally overcame the Wildcats’ defense and game plan and outshot them 5-0 during the second half of the match. Sophomore Leah Zellner tied the game with a redirected goal in the 40th minute with an assist from sophomore Lokke Stribos.
Junior Maddy Murphy scored the game-winning goal in the 50th minute, with a transition shot off the right side.
“We were able to clean up for our final third, clean up our possession and move the ball well. That had led to the two fantastic goals,” Cellucci said.
This was Iowa’s fifth win over a ranked opponent, moving the Hawkeyes to 6-1 in the Big Ten and a 12-4 on the season.