The Iowa women’s soccer team continued its early-season hot streak with a 4-0 win against Southeast Missouri State at the Iowa Soccer Complex on Sunday.
The 5-0 start is the Hawkeyes’ best season opening since they won nine straight to start the 2019 season, and it comes after Iowa’s 1-0 win on Aug. 31 at Mississippi State in Starkville, Mississippi. Sophomore forward Shae Doherty scored the lone goal in the match.
But the Hawkeyes came out hot against the Redhawks on Sunday, freshman midfielder Sofia Bush scoring in the first minute of the game. Bush was excited for her first Iowa goal and said the team works hard to get winning results.
Senior midfielder Josie Durr, freshman forward Sophie Kincaid, and junior forward Kenzie Roling all found themselves on the second half scoresheet, leading to a dominant 4-0 win.
“We had urgency to get into the box,” Iowa head coach Dave DiIanni said. “There wasn’t a ‘kill the game off’ mentality after the first half.”
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Aggressive attack
Iowa stayed on its front foot early and had several goalscoring opportunities in the opening ten minutes of the match.
The Hawkeyes controlled the pace of the game, oftentimes slowing it down and opting for a more possession-based approach. They passed around the backline and took their time, waiting for Southeast Missouri State to make a mistake.
But the Redhawks stayed determined in the back line, and the first half ended with Iowa up just 1-0.
Similar to the first half, though, Iowa opened the second half aggressively in attack and found a goal in the first minute after the referee awarded a penalty kick — Durr took the kick for Iowa and buried it into the bottom right corner of the goal.
Kincaid came off of the bench and made an instant impact, scoring 20 minutes into the half and within minutes of her arrival on the pitch. Roling was credited with the assist.
Iowa remained on the front foot and scored another goal four minutes after the last. This time, Roling took the lead and knocked it through the keeper’s legs, bringing the total to four Iowa goals.
This goal from @HawkeyeSoccer’s Kenzie Roling is 🤌 pic.twitter.com/V3AzL2KH2e
— Big Ten Soccer (@B1GSoccer) September 3, 2023
The victory moved Iowa to 5-0 on the season and the outright leader in the Big Ten standings.
It was also senior day for the Hawkeyes, with goalkeeper Macy Enneking, defender Samantha Cary, midfielder Rielee Fetty, and forwards Zoe Bessert and Meike Ingles all honored ahead of the game. DiIanni said the seniors have been key in helping the freshmen learn the system.
Big picture
The Iowa attack was lethal during the match. But converting goals is something the team struggled with to begin the year despite its undefeated start.
“A lot of times we play the ball across and there’s nobody to finish those chances.” redshirt senior Josie Durr said. “I think today we had a lot more people lined up and ready to score and ready to convert on those opportunities.”
Stat of the night
Iowa was stout defensively and did not allow a single shot during the game. The Hawkeyes have only allowed one goal this season.
“A lot of it comes from our midfield and our wingbacks doing the work to make sure that they don’t get close to us as a backline,” senior captain midfielder Maggie Johnston said.
Player to watch
Johnston made her presence felt against Southeast Missouri State.
She didn’t tally a stat in the box score, but her ball-playing ability in the back line created a lot of chances for the wing backs and forwards on the right wing to get balls into the box that led to scores.
Up next
Iowa faces a tough road opponent in Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Sept. 7 before George Mason in Fairfax, Virginia, on Sept. 10 to close out non-conference play. Iowa’s next home matchup will be its Big Ten opener against Illinois on Sept. 17.