Iowa trounced the DePaul Blue Demons on Sunday at the Iowa Soccer Complex.

The Hawkeyes held 62 percent of possession and outshot the Blue Demons, 20-4, en route to a 4-0 win.

Iowa tallied goals from Kyndal Anderson and Josie Durr, along with freshmen Camille Welker and Kellen Fife scoring their first career goals.

Picking up right where we left off! @kellen_fife puts the #Hawkeyes up by four!

57' | Iowa 4, DePaul 0 #FightForIowa pic.twitter.com/gYYoPWgJg3

— Hawkeye Soccer (@HawkeyeSoccer) August 28, 2022

“It was awesome,” Fife said. “Honestly, I kind of wasn’t expecting to really score there. The ball just kind of came out and I was there, so I just hit it one time. But yeah, it was really exciting for sure.”

Head coach Dave DiIanni said he was happy that he could play every healthy player on the bench on Sunday — which is not only good experience for everyone on the team, but also helps to reduce the number of minutes of the starters. DiIanni said it was also exciting that the level of play didn’t drop by much, even with Iowa emptying its bench.

DiIanni said he was also happy about getting a shutout. While defenders struggled in the first half, DiIanni said, they improved later in the game.

“In the first half, we got a little bit shallow with our backline,” DiIanni said. “ … Everything we asked them to do in the second half, they did that.”

Big Picture

After only scoring one goal combined in its first three regular season games, Iowa scored four goals on Sunday while generating 20 shots — the most in any game this year.

Because the Hawkeyes scored three goals in 30 minutes, Iowa could rest players like Sara Wheaton, Brooklyn Woods, Durr, and Rielee Fetty, who all played 90 minutes against Kansas.

“You get added by-in when other people play,” DiIanni said. “They’re a bit more invested now or even for next weekend as a team and that’s exciting.”

Roling and Bundy return

Sophomores Kenzie Roling and Addie Bundy both got their first minutes of the season, playing 17 and 15, respectively. Both sustained injuries earlier this year.

DiIanni said he thought both players played well with the minutes they got. He said Roling did a good job getting herself opportunities around the box and Bundy was very sharp, technical, and smart on the ball.

“I think for us, it’s important that we are patient with their building, because they’re four weeks behind everybody else,” DiIanni said. “So it’s important that we build them in slowly so that we can keep them the whole year.”

Otto notches two assists, Cary contributes attacks

Sophomore Elle Otto assisted the first two goals of the day in the eighth and 13th minutes, respectively.

The first assist came off a throw-in from senior Sam Cary.

“She threw it to me and I just turned,” Otto said. “The [defender] drove down the line, I passed it straight and [it went] right in the goal. Good finish by Kyndal [Anderson].”

The second assist was set up by a pass from Hailey Rydberg to Cary, who made a run down the left touch line. Cary received the pass, dribbled by a defender and sent in a cross, which found the feet of Otto.

“It was another ball by Sam Cary to me and then I just hit it through with my foot, and it went straight through and right to Josie [Durr],” Otto said.

Cary made passes that led to assists on the goals from Anderson, Durr, and Fife.

What’s Next

The Hawkeyes will play Pacific at home on Sept. 1 before traveling to Waco, Texas, to take on the Baylor Bears on Sept. 4.

Pacific currently sits undefeated with a record of 2-0-2, most recently tying against Oregon State on Sunday.

Baylor, on the other hand, is off to a rough start, with a record of 1-2-1, losing 6-0 against North Carolina on Sunday.

Cary said the next two games will be difficult, but the Hawkeyes have momentum and the team will be prepared for both teams.

“We’ve never been a team that puts the foot off the gas,” Cary said. “Our identity as the Iowa soccer program is that we’re going to grind every game and we’re going to respect every opponent, so that every time we’re on the field, it is our field, and we’re going to own it, whether we’re home or away.”